The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-21 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TI 11i EVENING, AUGUST t;nB6o,

Poor Relief, &c. (Ireland) Bill ; Gunpowder, &c., Bill ;
and: the Ind=ustrial Schools Act Amendment Bill.

demy. That was a question which came practically into
the discussion. That the Royal Academy should go else-
where was, he apprehended, a question which was already
decided. The material point to be decided was where they
were to go to. The arrangement now making involved the
intention of appropriating the whole of the building to the
national pictures. If the Royal Academy had constructed
a new building and been prepared to remove to it imme-
diately, the National Gallery would then be given up alto-
gether to the national pictures. But even under such cir-
cumstances what they were now doing would be absolutely
necessary for the national collection. So far, then, as they
had proceeded, they had done nothing which precluded the
carrying out the arrangement which was so much desired
by the hon. gentleman. The sum voted would render the
building better adapted to the purposes of a National Gal-
lery.

PEACE PRESERVATION (IRELAND) BILL.
The. Earl of BESSBOROUGH, having moved the usual
declaration (rendered necessary by Lord Redesdale's ob-
struct ive resolution), to the effect that the consideration of
this hill was a matter of real urgency, moved the second
reading of the bill.
Tho Earl of LEITRIM (who spoke with his back to the
gallery) was understood to complain of some recent exer-
cise of the prerogative of the Crown in the remission of
punishment. He also objected to officers of the constabu-
lary being raised to the bench as stipendiary magistrates,
and entreated the Government to abandon the system.
Lord MONTEAGLE bore testimony to the general effi-
ciency of the Irish police, but objected to the mode in
which their services were rewarded. He had known mur-
ders occasioned by improper appointments in the magis-
tracy and the police.
The Earl of BESSBOROUGH said he had a large ac-
quaintance with the stfpendiaty magistracy, and the best
ware those who had been raised from the constabulary.

Mr. J. LOCKE thought the noble lord had not put the
matter very clearly before the house. It was, however,
satisfactory to know that the Royal Academy was to be
removed, and that the present building would not be occu-
pied by them longer than could be avoided. The original
intention was that it was to be wholly adapted to the Na-
tional Gallery. By the removal of the wall in front the
whole building could be rendered completely applicable to
its original purpose, if the Royal Academy were removed
from it. The noble lord said the vote was necessary for the
Royal Academy.

The bill was then read a second time.
DEFENCE OF THE REALM BILL.

The Earl of RIPON moved the second reading of this
bill, observing that it was a necessary consequence of the
Fortifications Bill.
The bill was read a second time.
Their lordships then adjourned.

Lord PALMERSTON said he had not stated that the
vote was necessary for the Royal Academy. What he said
was that it was essential for the purposes of the National
Gallery.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YESTERDAY.)
The SPEAKER. took the chair at 20 minutes to four

o'clock.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Lords' amendments to the West Cork Railway
Bill were considered and agreed to.
OFFICERS OF THE CUSTOMS.

Mr. J. LOCKE was of opinion that if the Royal Academy
were removed from the building that this outlay of £15,000
would be altogether unnecessary.
Mr. H. SEYMOUR, thought that no arrangement could
be more simple than that of removing the Royal Academy
to the gallery constructed at Kensington, which being of
iron was not found to answer its purposes, and to bring the
pictures that were there into the National Gallery at Char-
ing-cross.

Mr. HENNESSY asked the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer, whether he would entertain the applications of certain
officers of the Customs who, owing to the recent changes,
have been obliged to retire from the service, for a commu-
tation of their superannuation allowance into money pay-
ments, taking into consideration the special circumstances
of each case.

Mr. KINNAIRD expressed his regret that the resolu-
tion had been agreed to before the correspondence moved
for by the hon. member for North Staffordshire had been
laid before the house.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
was not aware that any such applications had been made as
those mentioned by the hon. member. The practice was
not to make commutations of superannuation allowances to
public officers, because if these officers subsequently fell
into bad circumstances after receiving such commutation,
Government might be considered to have a right to provide
for them. In the case of the officers alluded to some ex-
ception might be made, as a number of them had left the
public service at an early period.

Lord H. LENNOX said he was willing to let the case
go before the country as it had been stated by the hon.
member for Brighton. He should certainly feel it his duty
to bring the matter again before the house in the next ses-
sion. He was happy to hear from the noble lord that the
removal of the Royal Academy was a settled matter. They
had, however, heard that stated so often that he for one
could place but little faith in it.

The report on the vote was then agreed to.
On the next ♦ote being reported—that of £75,000 for civil
contingencies,

Mr. E. JAMES said he was of opinion that this vote
had been passed in too much haste, and he had no oppor-
tunity of expressing the objections to it which he enter-
tained. He had intimated to the Secretary of the Trea-
sury that the house ought to have some explanation of the
sum of £3,668 17s. Bd., paid to Messrs. Baxter and Co.,
parliamentary agents, for the preparation of the Reform
Bill of 1858. (Hear, hear.) That was a most extraordi-
nary charge, considering that there was a counsel receiv-
ing £2,000 a year for drawing the Government bills, and
he did not hesitate to say that the drawing up of a Reform
Bill ought to devolve upon an officer M the Crown. He
would not say that the bill in question had not been ably
drawn—indeed, it stood out in favourable contrast with
the measure which emanated from the present Govern-
ment. (Hear, hear.) He confessed, however, that he had
never heard of a charge of this kind being made before.
The principle was altogether objectionable, as it trans-
ferred from the Government officials to a firm of Parliamen-
tary agents the responsibility of framing a bill affecting the
constitution of the country. Hear, hear.) There were
members of the Manchester school who were in the habit
of talking largely to their constituents on the necessity for
reform and retrenchment. It was, however, very remark-
able that those hon. gentlemen were absent from their places
on the occasion of supplies, leaving to some twenty-five or
thirty members of that house the onerous and difficult task
of controlling the public expenditure. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. LAING would endeavour to explain the items to
which the hon. and learned gentlemen had alluded, and
for which Government was responsible. First, as regarded
the charge for collecting returns in relation to the Reform
Bill of this year. It would be recollected that the returns
before the house were considered by some members to be
inaccurate. With the view of testing these returns the hon.
and learned member for Cambridge moved for certain re-
turns in reference to the payment of assessed taxes in cer-
tain boroughs. As it was found impossible to procure such
returns within the time specified by the ordinary means,
the noble lord at the head of the Government recommended
that extra assistance should be obtained, and hence the item
the hon. and learned gentleman had referred to. (Hear.)
As regarded the entertainment of distinguished person •
ages, the explanation was very short. He might say that,
from time immemorial, it had been the custom to grant
the expenses of those persons when travelling for public
objects on board one of her Majesty's ships. The only
question was whether, in the present case, the personages
alluded to came fairly within the title of distinguished
personages. Now some people were born great, some
achieved greatness, and some had greatness thrust upon
them. Nobody could doubt that, as regarded one of the
personages—his right hon. friend tho Chancellor of the
Exchequer—he came within the second category, namely,
bad achieved greatness. (Hear, hear.)
The King of the Sandwich Islands might be fairly taken
as one of those who
as coming within the first category. (Laughter.) He,
therefore, thong-4 tho item was one which the house might
fairly pass. (Hear, hear.) It had been said that Govern-
ment had almost purposely delayed the introduction of
the estimates to the very end of the session, in order
to have an opportunity of passing almost any-
thing they liked without comment. Well, what was
the fact f Why, as regarded the large army and navy
ee as rt il
my
ap
teert d t ohfe yt
h ewseert
es i
obrought
oforwardn
February—andat a n unusually
a all
the large votes were discussed in full houses and passed at
not an unusually late period. The vote on fortifications
was carried by a large majority. The civil service estimates
were the only ones remaining, and upon that point he
would remind the horse that in point of fact, whatever the
charges that might be brought against the Government in
respect to these estimates, the practical result was, that
whereas for 10 years previously they had had an annual
increase of £200,000.01er the preceding year, there was a
reduction,
t £300,000., as compared with last year, of, in round
(Hear, hear.) This would show that
were not neglectful of the interests of
tnp
economy.esmi Governmenttbiveers

The vote was then a.Teed to.
Mr. CONINGII A
—ll objected to the vote; and moved its
AO for Kensington Museum,
On the vote of 17
rejection.

The committee then divided,—
For the vote
Against it ..... 2l
Majority
On the motion that the expenses for the Public Works
(Ireland) Bill be agreed to,
Mr. V. SCULLY objected to that item in the vote which
was proposed for the establishment of the Cork Model
School, an establishment which, as he was informed, was
started in oppostion to all existing schools in that city. He
therefore moved that the vote be reduced by £2,000.
Some discussion ensued, in which Mr. Deasy (Attorney-
General for Ireland) supported, and Mr. Maguire, Mr.
Hennessy, and Mr. Brady opposed the vote.
The house divided, and the numbers were—
For the vute ..... 5B
Against it
13
Majmity
WAYS AND MEANS.
The report on Ways and Means was brought up by Mr.
MASSEY and agreed to,
CONSOLIDATED FUND APPROPRIATION BILL.
This bill was brought in by Mr. LAING, and read a first
time.

ought not to receive. (Hear, and cheers.) The first pre-
cedent for this practice was in July, 1854, and it had been
acted upon in similar instances since. His opinion was,
however, that such a practice ought not to continue, and he
had already intimated that such clauses would be objected
to in future. The objection was not, however, so strong in
this case, because it was amendedi and not an original bill.
He, therefore, hoped the house would agree to it now, but
if it occurred again he would call upon the house to resist
it. He was, however, in the hands of the house.
Mr. HENNESSY moved that the bill be laid aside.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said it was a necessary
provision to give assent to the act, and he hoped the house
would agree to it.
Mr. E. JAMES said that as the matter was of great im-
portance he moved the adjournment of the debate.
Lord PALMERSTON seconded the motion, and the
debate was adjourned.
The Trustees, Mortgages, &c., Bill was read a second
time.

The Chancery Evidence Commission Bill was read a
second time.

METROPOLITAN POLICE FORCE (DOCKYARDS)
(No. 2) BILL.
Lord CLARENCE PAGET moved that the house go
into committee on this bill, and explained that it was de-
sirable to introduce the police into the dockyards, to check
the peculations which had of late taken place in some of
them.

The bill passed through committee, and the other orders
having been disposed of, the house adjourned at a quarter-
past one o'clock.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—LIVERPOOL, AUG. 20.
CROWN COURT.--(Before Mr. Baron Martin.)
THE ANTIMONY POISONINGS AT LIVERPOOL.
Thomas Winslow was this morning arraigned
for the wilful murder of Ann James, the proprietor
of an eating and lodging house in Vauxhall-road,
Liverpool, with whom the prisoner lived as mana-
ger, &c.
Mr. Bliss, Q.C. (with whom were Mr. Aspiaall
and Mr. Temple) appeared for the prosecution ; and
Mr. Digby Seymour, Q.C., Mr. Fenwick, and Mr.
Little for the defence.
In opening the case Mr. Bliss said that the pri-
soner was charged with the crime of wilful murder
by means of antimony, which it was alleged he had
administered in small and repeated doses. The
deceased, Ann James, died on the 24th of June last,
in the Liverpool Southern Hospital. She had been
attended by Dr. Cameron at intervals from the
preceding January. From the 6th or 7th of June
until her death her excretions were preserved, and
with one or two omissions were found on analysis
to contain antimony, as did also the viscera and in-
testines, when examined after death. She died,
however, of cancer of the crecum, a natural disease,
which had perforated the bowels and caused her
immediate death, and the prisoner was accused of
aggravating that disease by the administration of
small doses of antimony, and so accelerating her
death. She had been attacked before with re-
peated vomitings and purgings, the former com-
ing on suddenly after taking food, and par-
ticularly sago, and then ceasing suddenly, and
though she recovered she manifested after such
attacks extreme nervous prostration and muscular
debility, which, with other symptoms, induced the
medical men to believe that such administrations
of antimony had hastened her death. If the jury-
thought the prisoner was the person who adminis-
tered this antimony, and that he did it wilfully with
the intention of taking life or doing grievous bodily
harm, it would be their duty to find him guilty of
murder. Having described the early history of
the deceased and her family, the learned counsel
came to the time when the prisoner became ac-
quainted with her. This was in 1854, when the
deceased was keeping the eating-house in Vaux-
hall-road, and when her sister (the late Mrs.
Townshend), Mrs. Townshend's husband, and their
three sons, Martin, Samuel, and William, and the
daughter Jane, all lived in the house. The pri-
soner was first a customer, then a lodger, and after-
wards left his business (in a foundry) and came
altogether to live with Mrs. James and to assist
her in the business. He very soon acquired great
ascendancy over her, and became in effect the
master of the house. In 1854 Jane Townshend
married Henry Cafferata, a japanner, residing in
Manchester, and in 1855 went to live with him in
that town, though he was occasionally afterwards
at Mrs. James's on a visit. Martin Townshend
was a baker, and was occasionally absent (once
having enlisted), and William and Samuel were
musicians. Henry Townshend, the father, did
little, and was in delicate health, and the whole
family were almost dependent upon Mrs. James.
At the prisoner's suggestion, the house was
made a night as well as day house for refresh-
ments and lodgings; it had 14 beds, and the
prisoner slept wherever there was a vacant bed.
Mrs. James occupied the back parlour over the
cellar, the cellar being used for refreshments and
cooking. The prisoner cooked what was wanted
in the night and slept by day. Ho had access to
the deceased's room at all times for the purpose of
getting change and giving her money; when the
door was locked the key was placed on the floer
under the door so that the prisoner could get it
from the outside. Mrs. James had tolerable health
until Christmas last year. She was fifty-six when
she died. She had thriven in business, her stock
and furniture being worth about £2OO or £3OO.
She had four shares in the Liverpool Gas Company,
worth £204, and £l3O in the savings bank, and at
the time of her death she had about £3O in cash in
the house. Such was the state of matters when in
September last year Elizabeth Townshend (sister of
the deceased) fell sick and died, and in the follow-
ing December William Townshend fell sick and
died, and in January last Samuel sickened and
died. Mrs. Cafferata was sent for, and came over
when her mother was ill, and she nursed her, She
also attended Samuel, and after his death returned
to Manchester. At the beginning of February Mrs.
Cafferata received a letter from the prisoner saying
that her aunt was extremely ill, and that if she wished
to see her alive she must come over immediately.
She came, and found her aunt suffering from ex-
treme vomiting and purging. About this time the
attendance of Dr. Cameron commenced (at the pri-
soner's suggestion), and he immediately discovered
that the deceased was labouring under a cancer
of the czecum. Under Dr. Cameron's care deceased
got better, he ceased his attendance, and Mrs.
Cafferata went to Manchester again. On the 29th
March Dr. Cameron was sent for again, deceased
being attacked with the same symptoms. He at-
tended, prescribed, and she was better. On the
26th April Martin Townshend left the family, and
during the night the prisoner was assisted by a
person named Henry Bagnell. On the 3d of May
Mrs. Cafferata again came over to see her aunt,
and never left her until the deceased was removed
to the hospital. Dr. Cameron was again summoned,
and on the 19th he left Mrs. James much better.
He was called in again on the 19th, found her suf-
fering from excess of vomiting, and from that time
he never lost sight of her till her death. During
May and about this time Dr. Cameron's suspi-
cions as to the administration of poison were ex-
cited, and in connection with this the learned
counsel wished the jury to recollect that on the
the 29th March Jane Cafferata was absent in Man-
chester with her husband; that on the 26th April
Martin left and did not return till the 31st May,
so that the prisoner (with the exception of the
servants) was the only person who prepared food
for the deceased during these intervals. lie
wished them also to remember two other facts—
EAST
that on the 26th of May there was found in the
LYDIA LOAN TIT T,T,. drawer in dd's room a aperpurporting to
This bill was read a third time and passed.i eceasebe a notice for the withdrawal her savings
THE SPIRITS DUTIES BILL. bank deposit and interest. It was signed "Ann
This bill was read a third time and passed. James." On th e 28th of May the prisoner went
MILITIA PAY BILL. to the office of the gas company and inq
This bill was read a second time. whether Mrs. James's shares could not
beuired put
into his name. The prisoner was told that it
PARTY ENIBLEMS (IRELAND) BILL.
could not be done, except by her making a re-
This bill passed through committee,
ular transfer or bysame day the
her will. The --
GOVERNMENT ACT (1858) AMENDMENT g
prisoner went to a Mr. Lloyd, solicitor, and ar-
(No, 2) BILL.
of
ranged for the making the will, though he was
The house went into committee on this bill,
not present when the deceased gave her instruc-
Clause 1 to 11 ware agreed to without discussion.
Lions, The deceased by that will left the •
prisoner
LOCAL
Clause 12 was negatived without a: division, and was ac- •
all her stock in trade, goodwill , &C., the residue of
cordingly struck out,
herproperty being left in thirds, one t M o rs. Caf-
The CHAIRMAN then reported progress, and the
and
ferata, one to her child, one to Martin, the pri-
house resumed.
soner being made sole executor. Thus Winslow
LAW AND EQUITY BILL.
was empowered to get possession of everything ;
This bill was read a third time and passed.
could sell the shares, draw the money from the
TITLES TO LAND (SCOTLAND) he
(No. 2) AMEND-
bank, and the rest of the family might
have re-
This BILL,
mained utterly unacquainted with deceased's hav-
This bill was read a third time and passed, ing any property at all. On the 6th June Dr.
DIVORCE COURT BILL—BREACH OF Cameron s suspicions induced him to have the secre-
PRIVILEGE.
Lions preserved; these were analysed by Dr. Ed-
On the motion that this bill be now read a second time, wards and found to contain antimony. Dr. Cameron
Mr. HENNESSY rose and said he had to call then communicated with th© police, and on Sunday
the attention of the house to a breach of privilege. morning, the 10th of June, he Went with two police
This bill was brought down to this house from the officers to the house and insisted on Mrs. James's
Lords, and looking at the sth and 7th clauses he found removal. Now, it was most important for the jury
that they applied to 14 money" matters, which rendered to remember that on Saturday night, the 9th of
the measure one that this house ought not, in his opinion, June, Mrs. Cafferata. made her aunt a little sago.
to receive. The sth clause stated that it should be lawful The deceased partook of it, and Mrs. Cafferata
for the court, when any matter was brought before it, in afterwards removed the cup downstairs ;the de-
which proctors claimed expenses to order those expenses to ceased went to sleep, and at two or three next
be paid to the proctors, as provided by the bill ; and the 7th morning she brought her a cap of tea and an egg,
clause gave power to employ counsel, and in case the pros- which however her aunt did not take, and which
tor should not be satisfied with his costs, to obtain pay- Mrs. Cafferata. placed on a chair bY the bedside.
meat of them out of the funds applicable to the suit. He She then slept by her aunt's side until between 10
(Mr. Heauessy) was a very young member of the house, and 11 next morning, just before the arrival of Dr.
and he submitted to the Speaker that these clauses should Cameron. She then found that the cup of tea
be printed in ,"red ink," and begged to ask his opinion of had been removed, and that on the table near
the bill. (Hear, hear ) her aunt's bed was a cup containing sarro.
The SPEAKER, in reply, said if the hen. member had The prisoner about five o'clock that morning had
given him notice of his question, he would be prepared to made Mrs. Xamea some sago, and had brought
give an elaborate answer. But this he would say, that it up to her. She partook of it, and the rest was
him
the provisions of this bill were of a very objectionable left in the cup upon the table. This cup was taken
ture, and that it was a bill Willa, it 4 his opinion, this hottae .by the police and, on its contents being examined,

antimony was found. After the deceased's removal to the hospital, the excretions found iin her bed- I
room were analysed, and found to contain antimony
in a free state—that is recently taken into the
stomach. During the 14 days ending the 24th
June that the deceased remained in the hospital
her excretions were carefully preserved, and, on
analysis, they all, with some exceptions, gave depo-
sits or traces of antimony. Still the medical men
were of opinion that no antimony was administered
at the hospital, the antimony found in the hospital
discharges being eliminated and not free. The
learned counsel then described the conduct of the
prisoner after Mrs. James's death; his communica-
tions with the police; his endeavours to throw
suspicion upon the Cafferatas ; and his statement
when arrested to the effect that on the morning of
the 10th he did prepare some sago for Mrs. James,
of which she partook, but that there was no anti-
mony in it, though he (Winslow) knew the use of
a antimony, and had given it to cattle some 18 years
ledo. An examination and analysis of the viscera
the medical men to the conclusion that during
life antimony had been administered in small and
repeated doses, and that this had hastened the death
of Mrs. James by the aggravation of the cancer of
the cfccum under which she was labouring. With
regard to the prisoner's having sought to obtain or
had antimony in his possession; evidence world
be called to show that in July, 1858, he had
offered a servant of Mrs. James .E 5 to procure him
some antimony from Dublin, whither she was
going, but that she refused ; that four or five
months before:Mrs. James's death a person described
as the prisoner called at a Mr. Miller's, druggist's
shop, for antimony, but did not get it ; that a per-
son named Ann Foley had been sent by the pri-
soner to purchase antimony " to kill a dog ;" and
that a person named Maguire had been sent to a
druggist's shop to purchase what he did not recol-
lect, but he identified the jar from which it was
taken by the assistant, and this proved to be the
antimony jar. Maguire (who was in the employ-
ment of the prisoner) would also state that he had
seen the prisoner preparing bread and butter for •
Mrs. James, and that while doing so Winslow took
from his pocket a paper out of which he took some-
thing between his thumb and finger and sprinkled
it over the bread and butter. When asked by
Maguire what this was, Winslow said it was " fine
salt," though there was plenty of salt in the house,
which he might have used if it was requisite. In
conclusion, the learned counsel said that the fact of
the discovery of the sago containing antimony in
the cup on the morning of the 10th, coupled with
the facts to which Maguire would depose' were
sufficient to warrant the indictment.
The examination of the witnesses occupied the
whole of to-day and yesterday. The verdict is
not expected to be returned until late to-night.
The prisoner is a small, thin, undersized man, of
a mean and unprepossessing appearance. He
appeared to watch the trial with a great deal of
anxious and fidgetty interest. He has a small
head, dark hair, a cunning intelligent expression
of face, with a projecting under lip and low fore.
head. He appears to be about 40 years of age.