The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-07 00:00:00

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Gold, 137; ; Sterling Exchange on London,
1081 ; 5-20 U.S. Bonds, 1081 ; Illinois, 1141 ; Erie,
581 ; Upland cotton, 33c.

PROSECUTION OF GOVERNOR EYRE.

The following appeared in our Third Edition of yester-
day evening:—
An application was made to the chief magistrate at
Bow-street (Sir Thomas Henry), this morning, by Mr.
Fitzjames Stephens, for warrants for the apprehension of
Colonel Nelson and Lieutenant Brand, on the charge of
the wilful murder of Mr. Gordon, at Moraut Bay, in the
county of Surrey, in the Island of Jamaica, in October,
1865.

Mr. Stephens, with whom was Mr. Horne Payne, was
instructed by Messrs. Sheen and Roscoe. He stated that
the actual prosecutors were Mr. John Stuart Mill, the
member for Westminster, and Mr. P. A. Taylor, the mem-
ber for Leicester, both now present. The name of Governor
Eyre was not at present included, because that gentleman
was not at the present moment within the jurisdiction of
the Court. There was no doubt, however, that he would be
ready and willing to meet the charge, and they had an in-
timation from his solicitor that he would attend upon due
notice. He was desirous of doing perfect justice to all
parties, and must, therefore, state that Mr. Eyre had shown
the most honourable and courageous determination to meet
most fully and fairly every responsibility properly devolv-
ing upon him. He (Mr. Stephens) was sorry that the great
questions at issue could not be decided upon a less grave
charge than that of murder, the parties who instituted the
prosecution being actuated solely by motives of public jus-
tice, and not by any petty party or personal ill-feeling.
But he should contend that the act, if, as ho alleged, illegal
was an act of murder and not of manslaughter. The deli-
berate putting of a man to death illegally was murder, and
was not excused either by the good faith or ignorance of
the parties, :or by the argument that they acted under
orders of superiors. Mr. Stephens went into an elaborate
statement of- the motives of the prosecutors, the facts and
the law of the case, contending that the question at issue
was, whether the law of England was supreme, or whether
the Sovereign had power, in tiu:e-of rebellion, to suspend
all law, and set up a military despotism with absolute
power over the lives of the subjects of the realm.
Dr. Alexander Fiddes, examined by Mr. Horne Payne
—I am a medical man residing in Kingston, in the
Island of Jamaica, and was medical officer to the
late Mr. George William Gordon. The last time I saw
him before the outbreak at Morant Bay was on the 26th
September, 1865. He called at my house, rely sick. I
did not see him again to the best of my recollection till the
day of his arrest, the 17th October, but on the 16th I re-
ceived a letter from him. On the 17th October I went to
seek for him, and found him in the house of his cousin, in
the parish of Kingston. With him were his wife, a male
friend, and the inmates of the house. I informed him that
Government had issued a warrant against him, and he
concurred in the propriety of going to the Government.
Sir Thomas Henry—You can hardly go into that unless
they are present.
Mr. Payne—Did you go anywhere ?

Witness —I went to Gen. O'Connor's, where Governor
Eyre told him it was necessary to apprehend him, as it was
his duty, and took him in custody. I saw him taken from
the house in a carriage with Dr. Bowerbank. A few
mounted volunteers accompanied the carriage. There was
not any disturbance at all in Kingston at the time. The
general's house, in which Mr. Gordon was arrested, was in
the parish of Kingston. I knew Mr. Gordon. He was not
iu the military service nor in the militia.
Mr. Andrew Henry Lewis—l was in Jamaica in 1865. I
was a member of the Assembly and Justice of the Peace in
three parishes. I was summoned to attend a Council of
War to be held on Oct. 12, 1865, at the King's house—(cor-
recting himself) at the General's house. The Council de
tided to proclaim martial law, and I was an assenting party
on the representation of Governor Eyre of the state of that
part of the country. Martial law was proclaimed in the
county of Surrey, with the exception of Kingston. Copies
of the proclamation were printed at Fort Morant, in the
parish of St. Thomas-in-the-East. I accompanied Gover-
nor Eyre and Gen. Nelson on board the French steamer,
the Garavelli, and proceeded to Id.orant, Bay, where we
arrived, I think it was, on the 13th of October. Go-
vernor Eyre afterwards went back to Kingston, leaving
General Nelson in command at Morant Bay. I
did not see Mr. Gordon land at Morant Bay. I saw
him on board the Wolverine several days after I
arrived at Morant Bay. He was then in custody. When
he left the Wolverine he was landed at Morant Bay. I
saw him there. There were several other pasoners. On
the following day, about the 21st, I wasp resent at the
Court, composed of Lieutenant Brand, R.N., Lieutenant
Errington, R.N., and Ensign Kelly. Mr. Gordon Ramsay
was provost-martial. He attended the Court. Witnesses
were examined and documents produced.
Mr. Stephens—Was he called upon to plead?
Witness—l saw him tried, but I was not there at the
commencement.
Mr. Stephens—Was he called upon for a defence ?
Witness—He made a defence. Mr. Brand was the pre-
sident. At the close of the evidence the court was
closed, and I did not hear the sentence until very
shortly before it was carried into effect. I saw Mr.
Gordon hung, under the orders of the p revost-marshal,
who was present. It was done by sailors, to whom he
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He was not a soldier. Ido not know whether he had
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ever been in the militia, but that force had not been called
out for some years. I was at Morant Bay from the time I
arrived until the execution, and during that period there
was no armed resistance to the authorities or breach of
the peace.
Charles Saville Roundoll—l was secretary to the Jamaica
Royal Commission, and was present at their sittings. I
have custody of the documents which were produced be-
fore them, and have them here.
Mr. Rouudell being called upon to produce these docu-
ments, stated, that as they came into his possession as
secretary to the commission, and for public purposes, he
wished to produce them only on proper authority, and,
therefore, asked the magistrate if he was bound to do so
now ?

Sir Thomas Henry said he was.
The documents were then put in.
The further hearing was than adjourned until to-morrow
at 11 o'clock.

SERIOUS EXPLOSION IN MANCHESTER.—About
eight o'clock yesterday morning a number of drying
cylinders, forming part of the apparatus at Mr. Lake's
size works, Water-street, Manchester, exploded with ter-
rific violence, and caused great damage of property. The
roof fell in, some of the walls were thrown down, and
about half a dozen workmen narrowly escaped injury. A
large quantity of steam, boiling water, and debris, were
scattered about the shed, and hew the men escaped being
hurt is almost a miracle.