The Sun.
London, England, 1869-05-29 00:00:00

LAW AND POLICE.

L APITTE AND Co.—ln the Court of Chancery, on
Friday, an appeal by the official liquidator of Lafitte and
Co. (Limited), from an order of the Master of the Rolls,
refusing an application to fix the Chevalier Francis de
Rosaz on the list of contributories for 500 shares,
was heard by the Lords Justices of Appeal.
Their lordships were of opinion that there was sufficient
proof that Hillet, the agent of De Rosaz, had notice that
an allotment had been made to him of 500 shares. He
must, therefore, be on the list of contributories for 500
shares, and must pay the costs of the application at the
Rolls. There would be no costs of the appeal, except
those of the official liquidator.
CRUELTY TO A DOG.—Edward Whelan, of Clapham,
was charged on Friday, at Lambeth Police-court, with
cruelty to a dog, at Camberwell New-road Railway
Station. The dog barked at his horse, upon which he
seized it and dashed it against the wall of the station,
finally stamping on it and killing it. He was sentenced
to three months' imprisonment with hard labour, but
released on bail, notice of appeal being given.
ROBBERY By Boys.—At Clerkenwell, two lads, named
Stephens and Harvey, were charged with stealing from a
counting-house in the Caledonian-road, money, cheques,
and stamps, to the value of £153. They were remanded.
ATTEMPTED MURDER.—A day or two since a baker and
his wife, named Davey, were charged at Norfolk with
attempting to poison the brother of the man, with the
object of getting his money. They were remanded. The
prisoners are both young, and were only married at
Christmas.

THE CONFESSION OF MURDER AT BIRMINGHAJI.-At
the Public Office, Birmingham, on Friday, before Mr.
Kynnersley, stipendiary, William Rayner, the old man
who three weeks ago made a confession of the murder
of George Tullett in July last, was again brought
up. Mr. Godson, of the Oxford Circuit, prose-
cuted. It was stated that the police had made
every inquiry in regard to the purchase of prussic
acid at the time of the suspected murder, but with-

out success. There was no evidence beyond that of the
confession of the prisoner ; on that ground alone a com-
mittal was asked for. Dr. Savage, physician to the
Queen's Hospital, who made the post-2nortent examination,
stated that the poison must have been taken undiluted,
and not, as was the theory of the prosecution, in an alco-
holic drink. The magistrate refused to commit the
prisoner, and ordered him to be discharged.

THE YOUGHAL ELECTION.—A petition is, it is
said, about to be presented against the return of Mr. Guest
for the borough of Youghal.

We are requested by Earl Grosvenor to contra-
diet the statement which has appeared in most of the daily
papers that he has purchased Clivedon House, near
Maidenhead.—Chester Chronicle.

MEETING OF PROTESTANT DISSENTERS IN
DUBLIN.—A correspondent, writing from Dublin on
Friday evening, says :—" A meeting of Protestant Dis-
senters was held this evening, at the Metropolitan Hall,
to express disapproval of the Church Bill. The hall was
filled, but not crowded. Dr. Duncan presided. The
speakers were Mr. M'Comas, the Rev. Dr. Bryson, Dr.
W. Boyd, Rev. J. Kerr, Rev. J. Morrison, and Mr.
Jones, representing the Presbyterians and Methodists.
The resolutions condemned the bill as subversive of the
Constitution, a violation of the Act of Union, and
calculated to establish the ascendancy of a foreign
hierarchy."

RAILWAY COLLISION.—An accident befel the
11.20 passenger train from Victoria Station, Manchester,
to Blackburn, on Friday morning, almost at the com-
mencement of the journey. At the Salford Station, before
the driver could reverse his engine, it came in contact
with a goods train which was standing on the same line of
rails. The engine buffers were broken, and the van of the
goods train was much damaged. The shock was so severe
that six of the passengers had to leave the train and go
home in cabs. The train had to be brought back to the
Victoria Station and replaced by another, in consequence
of the break apparatus being thrown out of gear. Ater
this transfer had been effected, the passengers were able to
proceed on their journey.
AN ANTIQUE BELL.—A bell of the twelfth or
thirteenth century has been found amongst the ruins of
Croxden Abbey. A number of letters of the form peculiar
to the period mentioned are stamped round it. No local
person has been enabled to make out their intention, but
they were supposed to comprise some legend in contracted
monkish Latin. Those who understand the form of ancient
characters, however, well know that if some of them are
reversed they stand for other letters--E becomes B,
and C is transformed into D, and so on with many
of the other letters of the alphabet. The letters on
the bell are as follows :—AECC. AECG.
EFTHII. EFTHIK. Mr. Redfern has received a com-
munication from the secretary to the Society of Anti.
quaries, who consider the bell to be of very great interest,
and are decidedly of opinion that many of the letters are
stamped wrong side up, and when viewed as they ought
to be are neither more nor less than an alphabet, as here :
ABCD. LMNOP. ABCD. EFGHIK. EFGHIK. Mr.
Redfern has suggested whether they may not have been
intended for a peal on bells, which the repetition of letters
might seem to corroborate. There is also a cross or mark
of the founder, on the body of the bell.—Builder.

THE RUNAWAY BALLOON.—The proprietors of
the "captive" balloon, which, after knocking down the
policeman on duty, escaped from Ashburnham Park on
Tuesday, have great reason to be thankful for its recap-
ture ; still more reason have they to he thankful that it
did net take it into its head to escape the other day when
a 'select party were allowed the privilege of eating
luncheon in its car, the feast being enlivened by a cold
north-east wind and an eloquent speech from Lord
Dufferin. It is the merest chance, says a contemporary,
that we were spared the grief of teeing an amiable and
gifted nobleman carried up to heaven against his will
with a quantity of luncheon plates and champagne
bottles. Let us hope that now the wild machine is in
bonds again it will be carefully secured, not only for its
own, but also for the sake of the public. Who can view
without alarm the prospect of an unmanageable balloon,
possibly containing a peer, careering through the sky with
long rope trailing on this unfortunate planet, to the
imminent risk of the conservatories and skylights of those
who, however zealous for the advancement of aeronautical
science, aro hardly prepared to see their property
destroyed by captiy9 1?8,11oclis which decline to a keptia