The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-06 00:00:00

LAW AND POLICE.

THE BREADALBANE PEERAGE CLAIMS. —The claim of
Mr. John Campbell, of Fort William, Inverness, to the
dignities of Earl of Breadalbane and Holland, &c., was
again before their lordships the Committee for Privileges
on Thursday. It was a special sitting to take the evidence
of a gentleman—Lieut. Donald Campbell, the brother of the
claimant, who was very infirm, his health being in a pre-
carious state. His evidence, however, was not clear on the
point of relationship, and their lordships refused to admit it.
Several witnesses were then examined, who only spoke
Gaelic, and whose evidence had to be received through an
interpreter. The committee adjourned sine die before the
claimant's case was concluded.

OVEREND, GURNEY, AND CO.—ln the matter of
Overend, Gurney, and Co., a case came before Vice-Chan-
cellor Malins, in which a Mr. Swan claimed for £26,545.
Mr. Swan's case was that Overend, Gurney, and Co. were
indebted to him under these circumstances :—Messrs.
Cattley and Co., of St. Petersburg, drew bills for the
amount of £26,545 on Overend, Gurney, and Co., who
accepted the same. The bills were dishonoured at matu-
rity, as alleged, under protest, and were then taken up fJr
the honour of the drawers, Messrs. Cattley and Co., who
now claimed to be a creditor for that amount. The offi-
cial liquidator resisted the claim on the ground that there
was no evidence to shew that Cattley and Co. were unable
to pay the amount of the bills. The case ultimately stood
over for the production of certain affidavits.
SLANDER.—In a case in the Bail Court, " Copplestone
♦. Sissmore," the plaintiff was a respectable tradesman,
carrying on the business of a greengrocer, and also that of
a remover of furniture. The defendant is a retired sur-
geon of the Indian army, residing near the plaintiff.
About the time of the removal of the furniture the de-
fendant lost his money, and in a moment of irritation
he charged the plaintiff with having stolen from him
twelve £5 notes. The defendant having intimated his in-
tention of withdrawing the imputation, the plaintiff con-
sented to a verdict of £5 ss. A. verdict was therefore
taken for that amount.

STREET OUTRAGR.-At the Middlesex Sessions, on Thurs.
day, Isaac Bentley was indicted for a street outrage and
stealing a gold chain and locket, 'value 205., the property
of a young lady named Emily Louisa Lewis, from her
person. The prosecutrix, a respectable-looking young
woman, said she was walking along Endell-street, Covent-
garden, when the prisoner rushed up to her and snatched
her gold chain and locket from her neck. This occurred
in the daylight. Prisoner was apprehended and given
into custody. He was now found guilty, and sentenced
to four months' hard labour.

DAMAGES FOR AN ASSAULT.-At the Manchester As-
sizes two actions were brought against a man named Hall,
an officer of a building society, one by a dealer in build-
ing materials named Peridy for assault, and the other by
a Mrs. Parker, a widow, for slander. Mrs. Parker was a
shareholder in Hall's building society, and some dispute
having arisen as to the amount of her contributions she
waited upon Hall in company with her friend Peridy, an
old man. In the course of the altercation which
ensued Hall called her a thief, liar, &c., and attacked
Peridy and broke two of his ribs, as well as inflicting
other injuries. The slander was denied, but the violence
was admitted. The jury returned a verdict in the slander
case for the defendant ; in the assault case for the plain-
tiff ; damages, £5O.

ATTEMPTED FRAUD BY A MINER. Peter or Patrick
Bowling, a miner, has been tried before Sheriff Bell, at
Dunfermline, on D. charge of attempted fraud. The
prisoner worked in the Prathouse Pit, where it is the prac-
tice for the colliers to attach to each ton of coal a string
knotted in a peculiar manner to shew who is entitled to be
credited with it on its arrival at the mouth of the pit.
Bowling had removed the string of a miner named Archi-
bald, and attached his own to the tub, with the view of
being credited with work he had not done. He was found
guilty, and sentenced to three months' imprisonment, in
addition to the five weeks he had already undergone.
This was said to be the first case of the kind adjudicated
upon in Scotland.
EXTRAORDINARY TREATMENT OF A BOY.—At the Win-
chester Assizes, on Tuesday, two ploughmen, named
Limburn and Bunday, were charged with causing bodily
harm to a boy 12 years of age, named White. While
ploughing in a field, the prisoners took hold of the boy
and put him in the furrow, and " ploughed him in,"
covering him with the earth. He remained there while
they made a turn. The prisoners then came back and
drove the horses opposite to where the boy was, and
turned them round, a-id in doing so one of the horses
stepped upon the boy's right thigh and broke it. He was
attended by two surgeons, and was laid up for thirteen
weeks, and his leg was still weak. It was urged that the
boy was put in the furrow for a joke, got sulky, refused
to get up again, and sustained the injury by not gettin g
out of the way. Prisoners received a good character from
their employer. A verdict of not guilty was returned.
ALLEGED ASSAULT ON A PEDESTRIAN.—At the Man-
chester Assizes, John Fleet, a pedestrian, sought to
recover damages from Mr. Bellhouse, an engineer, for
injuries received. The plaintiff was engaged in training
for a match, and while running with his trainer along a
public footpath was, according to his account, struck by
the defendant, and so hurt by being driven against the
wall that he has not been able to run so well as he could
before, and has lost two out of three matches since he was
hurt. For the defence it was stated that the plaintiff came
into collision with the defendant, and fell against the
wall. No blows were struck. The surgeon described the
injury to have been very slight, and the jury found a
verdict for the defendant.
THE THIEVES' BAZAAR.—The Southwark thieves' bazaar
case was disposed of on Thursday at the Surrey Sessions.
The accused couple, James and Mary Johnson, who, it
was proved, carried on the bazaar business under the
guise of honest general dealers, were found guilty of the
theft of which they were charged, and James received
seven years' penal servitude and Mary twelve months'
imprisonment with hard labour. Numerous previous con-
victions were established against the male prisoner ;
hence the disparity in the sentences.
RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY.—James Horley, tne
possessor of a large quantity of property supposed to
have been stolen, has been brought up on remand at the
Mansion House Police-court. It was stated that, in
addition to the money and property discovered, a
savings' bank book had been found in which stood £lBO
to the credit of the prisoner. It was also mentioned
that the prisoner was connected with two building socie-
ties. A hosier recognised some of the articles discovered
as his, and stated that he had been robbed of between
£6OO and £7OO worth of property. For the defence it was
alleged that the goods were bought from time to time in
Petticoat-lane. The prisoner was sentenced to four montik
itaPritiQuilierit with hard labour.

7TIE ALTON MURDER.

WINCHESTER, THURSDAY.
(Before Mr. Justice MELLOR.)

This morning Frederick Baker, 29 years of age, described
as a clerk, was placed at the bar charged with the wilful
murder of Fanny Adams, at Alton, on the 24th of August
last. The interest was intense, and the court was besieged
with a crowd from an early hour. Mr. Bere and Mr.
Bullen were counsel for the prosecution ; Mr. Carter de-
fended the prisoner. The prisoner looks younger than he
is. He is a young man of middle height, and was mode-
rately well dressed. His head, borne erectly, and with a
certain show of defiance, is not of an ordinary type. His
face is pale and beardless ; but there was no particular
expression of care or anxiety on his countenance. During
the trial Baker was allowed to sit on a chair. He pleaded,
in a faint voice, " Not guilty."
Mr. Bere opened the case as one of the most horrible de-
scription. He went into a minute detail of the evidence
he should produce. About one o'clock on Saturday, the
24th of :A egust, three little girls, Fanny Adams being one,
were playing in a field. The prisoner came up co them,
and talked to them, and then gave them some half-
pence. To Fanny Adams he gave a halfpenny, and he
then took her up and carried her away from the
other two children, telling them to go home, and that
was the last time Fanny Adams was seen alive. The
prisoner had admitted that he was the person who gave
the children the money. The two children went home,
but Fanny Adams did not return. About half-past 5
o'clock inquiries were made about her, and the prisoner
was asked what had become of the child, but he said he
did not know. Suspicions at length became excited,
and search was made in the place where the child
was last seen with the prisoner, and about that spot parts
of her body—her lungs, her logs, her heart, and other por-
tions—were found. The body was completely dismembered.
That the child was murdered there could be no doubt, and
Olen came the real question whether the prisoner was the
man who had committed that murder. No direct evidence
of that fact could be given, but that part of the case
would depend upon circumstantial evidence, and there
would be such a chain of evidence surrounding him that
it would be impossible for him to escape. At two o'clock
he was seen with the child. He was seen afterwards
leaning over a gate looking into the field. At that time
the murder must have been completed. He was seen in
Alton between two and three. About four o'clock the
prisoner went into his master's kitchen, and had a conver-
sation with the cook, who gave him a letter for the post.
Between five and six o'clock he was seen leaning over a
gate, and a boy named Vince saw the prisoner doing
something at the waters apparently washing his hands.
Mrs. Adams then saw him and called him back, and he
returned to her. She asked him what had become of her
little girl ; he denied all knowledge of her, but said he
had given her a halfpenny. He gave her his address and
where he was to be found. There was nothing then
suspicious in his conduct ; his hands were in his
pockets. He then walked away. Near that spot two
human eyes were found. The prisoner was in his
master's office about six o'clock that evening and a con-
versation then took place between him and his fellow
clerk, Morris Biddle ; they went out together and did
not return till eight o'clock. The prisoner was then very
much excited, and said he had been accused of taking
away a child, but he knew nothing about it. About eight
o'clock that evening the murder was discovered, and sus-
picion fell upon the prisoner, and he was accused of it by
some people, and he said " Never ; it is a bad job for me
then.' He was taken into custody. Portions of his
clothes were wet. Two knives were found upon him.
After this his diary was looked at. It contained a state-
ment of the work he had done in the office, and then, in
his own handwriting, on the 24th of August, was this
remarkable entry, " Killed a young girl—it is fine and
hot." He (Mr. Bere) thought he had detailed all the cir-
cumstances as they were connected with the prisoner, and
if he proved them it would be clear to all reasonable men
that he must have been the murderer. As to the motive
of the prisoner, there could be no doubt what was the
purpose of his taking the little child away, and that
having effected his purpose he had killed the child, as a
stone covered with blood was found near the spot where
some portions of the body were discovered, and he had a
knife in his pocket by which he might have dismembered
the body, which it was supposed he had done with a view
of concealing the offence he had committed.
The plan of the country was produced and proved.
Minnie Warner, a child, 8 years of age, said : I knelt
little Fanny Adams. I went out walking with her on
Saturday, after dinner. Lizzie Adams was with us. Fanny
Adams was 9 years old. While we were at play, the pri-
soner came to us and said, " Ah, my little children, here
you come again !" He played with us in the meadow, and
gave me throe halfpence. We went down towards the Hollow
lane. He gave Fanny a halfpenny. He picked some black-
berries for us. He then told me and Lizzie to go home,
and spend our halfpence ; he went down the Hollow with
us. He lifted Fanny up in his arms and carried her up
the Hollow. He said, Come with me, and I will give
you twopence more." Fanny cried, and wanted to go
home. I saw him and Fanny go into the hop-ground.
Lizzie and I went home and told mother. I saw the
prisoner again that afternoon with Mrs. Gardiner. I had
seen the prisoner on the Saturday before in the same
meadow. Emma White was with me then, but not Fanny
Adams. He talked to us then ; lie told me to go round
the Hollow with him, and then he told me to go home.
Eliza White : My husband is a sawyer. I came home
irom my work about two o'clock that day by the path
through the hop-field. I saw a man with the three
children, who were companions of my' little girl. He
was loitering about. The children were at play. The
Prisoner is that man. I saw thee( between ten and fifteen
minutes. I watched them. The man was smoking all
the time. I saw the children run into the Hollow. The
man looked about and followed them, and I lost sight of
them. I heard one of the children cry out, but not as if
in pain. It came from the Hollow. I then went home.
Confirmatory evidence was given by William Awlwork
and Elizabeth Warner, sister to the previous witness.
George Noyce said : lam a shepherd. On the 24th of
August was in a field called Twelve Acres. About two
minutes pact three I saw a man coming along the field
near the hop-field. When he saw me be put his hands
under his jacket and walked away. The prisoner was that
man. He afterwards went towards the hop-ground. He
had on a black jacket and light trousers.
Sarah Norris : I am cook to Mr. Clements, by whom
the prisoner was employed as clerk. Shortly after four in
the afternoon of the 24th of August I gave the prisoner a
letter to post. There was nothing extrordinary in his
appearance at that time. I saw him again at half-past six
in the office. There was no one else in the office. I saw
no marks of blood upon him.
Alfred Vince (a very little boy) : I remember the day
Fanny Adams was killed. I saw Mrs. Gardiner talking to
a man who was where people bathe. I had seen that man
come out of the Hollow and go to the water and wash his
bands. He then saw me and ran after me, and I ran away.
There was a gate between us.
Harriet Adams, the mother of Fanny Adams, deposes
that she went with Mrs. Gardiner to look for the child.
Saw a man come out of the Hollow-gate. Minnie
Warner followed behind us. Mrs. Gardiner got up to the
man first. She called him twice and asked him to stop.
He then came and met us. He was dressed in light
trousers and dark coat and a tall hat. Mrs. Gardiner
spoke to him, and asked him, " What have you done with
the child you took away ?" He said he had not taken
any child away. She said, " Did you not give some
children some halfpence ? " He said, " Yes." Mrs.
Gardiner said, " Here comes Minnie Warner." She came
up, and Mrs. Gardiner asked her if that was the gentleman
who save her the halfpence. She said, " Yes." Mrs.
Gardiner asked her how much he gave her. She said,
" Three pennies." The prisoner said, " No, three half-
pence ;" and to the other two he had given a halfpenny
each. Mrs. Gardiner asked him his name. He said,
" Never mind my name ; you will find me at Clements's,
at Alton." Mrs. Gardiner begged his pardon, and he
went away towards the meadows, over a bridge, and the
path comes out by the toll-gate kept by Mrs. Porter.
Mrs. Gardiner corroborated this evidence.
Morris Biddle, junior clerk with Mr. Clements, said :
On Saturday, the 24th of August, I was at the office, and
so was the prisoner in the morning. He seemed as if he
had been drinking. At -the office, in the evening, the
prisoner said some women had accused him of taking away
a child. He said he did not know anything about it,
or he would have given them information. He said
if the child was murdered he supposed he should
be blamed for it. He said he thought he should
go away on Monday, and asked me if I would go
with him. He said there was a case something like that
at Guildford, but there the girl came back again. When
the " boots " came in he said he was going away on Mon-
day, and the prisoner said they might as well go together.
Boots said he would not do for him, for he could put his
hand to anything. Baker said he could go as a butcher.
I went back to the office. I heard something at the office,
and I went and fetched Baker. I said, " Baker, they say
you have murdered a child." He said, " Never, Morris ;
it's a bad job for me then." I said, We'll go to the
office and see whether there's any truth in it." We then
went to the office. A baker named Doggrell came. He
said, "Where's Baker? They say he has been and mur-
dered a child." Baker said he was innocent, but it was a
bad job for him. Soon after he was taken into custody by
Cheney. I knew the prisoner kept a diary. The last
entry is the 24th of August, in his writing. I was not out
of the prisoner's company two minutes after we had been
at the chemist's. I had gone out to see the place of the
murder when I met Cheney. Trimming, the other clerk,
was there. The prisoner was smoking in the office. I did
not see him make an entry in the diary that evening.
Mr. Trimming, the senior clerk, confirmed Biddle%
statement. He added : I observed in the morning that ho
had been drinking. He had been excited all the evening.
considered he was muddled with drink.
A labourer named Gates deposed as to the finding o.
the several parts of the body. The manner in which the
body of the poor girl had been hacked to pieces was de-
tailed.
W. Cheney, superintendent of police, said : I asked the
prisoner if he had heard of the murder. He sail, "They
say it's me, don't they ?" I said, " Yes, you are suspected.
He said, " I am innocent, and I am willing to go where you
like." He produced two knives, on one of which was a
little blood. I said, " I must leave a constable with you."
I went away and made further inquiries, and then I
returned and took the prisoner into custody. He said he
was innocent, and that the halfpence proved nothing,
as he was in the habit of giving children money when he
was out for a walk. He had £1 6s. 10. in his pocket.
His left boot and sock and leg of the trousers were quite
wet. I asked him how he accounted for that, and he
said he was in the habit of stepping into the water when
he was out for a walk. There were spots on the trouser
leg which appeared to have been washed. There were
stains of blood on the wristbands of his shirt. He said
he could not account for it. On the Monday I went to
Mr. Clements's office, and with one of the keys found on
the prisoner I opened his desk, and found the diary that
was shewn to the prisoner in his cell. He was asked if
that was his handwriting, and he said it was : he did
it after he saw the women, but he was intoxicated at
the time.
George 'Watkins, policeman, deposed that after Baker's
clothes were taken off he said they had found some blood
on his sleeve which he couldn't account for. The doctor
seemed to think it was he, but as for his boots being wet
that was nothing, as he was in the habit of walking in the
dew and washing his boots even before going to the office.
If the case were gone on with, he should be defended
and if he did not get off he must be hanged. That was all
he intended to say about it.
It being now nearly six o'clock, and it being stated that
Dr. Taylor was to be examined,
Mr. Justice Mellor said that the better war would now
at ioxliauxu the t tlo 1140 Ring.