The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-18 00:00:00

CRIMINAL COURT-( THIS DAY.)

OLD COURT.
(Before Justices Williams and Willes.)
APPOINTMENT OF CLERK OF TIIR COURT.

As soon as the learned judges had taken their seats upon
the bench, the Lord Mayor rose and said that many persons
now in court had heard the eloquent and judicious state-
ment made by the learned Common Sergeant, as a tribute
of respect to the late Mr. John Clark, wlio had filled the
office of clerk of the court. Every person who had heard
the eloquent address of the learned gentleman fully agreed
with every sentiment then uttered in praise of one who, for
se many years, discharged the duties of his office with zeal
and assiduity. The nomination of a successor was vested in
him (the Lord Mayor), subject to the approbation of the
judges and aldermen on the rota, and the selection lie had
made, he was glad to state, had received the unanimous and
unqualified approbation of those learned personages. The ap-
pointment he had made would receive the approbation of
the whole of the bar, as the gentleman be selected had been
associated with the late Mr. Clark for the lest 25 years.
Without detaining them further, he begged to announce
that he had appointed Mr. Robert Marshall Straight, to fill
the office of Clerk of the Arraigns.
- -

Mr. Straight, who was at the table, then bowed to the
judges, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Counsel, and was
congratulated by Mr. Bodkin, Mr. S!eigh, Mr. Robinson,
and a number of other gentlemen on his appointment.

THE CASE OF MR. STEVENS.
This case in which Mr. Stevens, a stockbroker in the
City, was charged with misappropriating a sum of money
entrusted to him to invest in certain stock, was withdrawn ;
the indictment having been preferred against him in conse-
quence of a misunderstanding.

NEW COURT.
(Before Mr. Justice Willes.)

CUTTING AND WOUNDING.—A tall powerful man,
named Ashdown, was indicted for assaulting John Evans
with a knife with intent to murder him.

Mr. Cooper appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Horry
for the prisoner.

John Evans said—l live at 6, Hill-street, Deptford. The
prisoner was my lodger; he lived up-stairs. On Friday,
3d August, the prisoner and his wife returned home in a
state of intoxication. I gave them notice to quit their
apartment. On tee following day the prisoner and his wife
came to my door, and they began using the most threatening
language towards me, threatening to murder me. I opened
the room door. The prisoner's wife struck me with a poker,
which I wrested from her. The prisoner was standing behind
me with a knife in his Land, with which be struck me two
or three times over the head and arms. Oa getting in to the
street I began to get faint from loss of blood and I could do
nothing more than defend myself. The prisoner and
his wife then left and returned to their apartment, but a
policeman came up, and on being told what bad occurred,
he proceeded to their room and took A.hdown into custody.'

Cross-examined by Mr. Horry for the prisoner—l struck
at the prisoner two or three times, but it was in self-defence.
I was asked to leave off striking him Iby some persons
standing by, but I did not do so.
Police-constable 146 said—l took the prisoner into cus-
tody on the Wednesday night in question. I told him what
I wanted him for, and he said, "All right, I'll come with
you."
A medical gentleman proved that the wounds inflicted on
the prosecutor were of a very dangerous nature.
The learned Judge having summed up the evidence,
The jury found the prisoner guilty of committing a com-
mon assault, and be was sentenced to six months' imprison-
ment.

TILE EXPLOSION OF FIREWORKS AT MADAME COTON'S.

A gentlemanly-dressed man named Bennett was indicted
for manslaughter, caused by an explosion of fireworks, which
took place on the 12th of July last, at a shop kept by Mrs.
Bennett (Madame Coton), in St. George's-in-the-East.
Mr. Pierce appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. GifFord
defended the prisoner.
Anna Welsh—l formerly lived at a house in Westminster-
road. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett had a little girl living iu the
same house. Mrs. Bennett was called Madame Coton. The
prisoner used to drive a horse and cart, in which he used to
take the empty cases to the factory, which was at Peck-
ham. The cases were made on the ground floor, level with
the shop. I have seen what is called red-fire in the yard
in canisters. I have never seen it in the shop.
I have given red fire from one of the safes in the yard to
boys engaged in the manufacture. The safe was a very
short distance from the house. I gave the red fire about a
week before the explosion to a boy named William Brown.
I was in the house when the explosion took place on the
12th of July, about half-past six. I was in the back room
on the first floor. I was. attracted to the fire by hearing the
boys halloo. I looked out of the window and saw smoke com-
ing out of the kitchen window, in which the composition was.
I know how the men roll cases for fireworks. The cases
are made of brown paper and rolled round a brass pipe, and
then having cloyed the bottom, the cases became fit for use.
Tucker, the foreman, used to work in the back room on the
shop floor. It was very near the shop. I did not see
any barrels there on the Saturday before the fire. I
know a man named Payne. I did not see Itim take a bar-
rel from that room on Sunday. I escaped from the house
with only slight injury. I don't know how many men were
employed, but there were three boys.
By the Judge—My mistress and master lived in the
house. They did not go about with naked candles.
Edwin Tucker—l was the foreman to Madame Coton at
the time of the explosion. I had been employed about 18
months. Mr. Bennett (the prisoner) paid me. Madame
Coton engaged me. I have been an artist in fireworks all
my life. Madame Coton had lived in the house for a nutn-
ber of years. I know that the prisoner and she were man
and wife. I was at the house about three-quarters of an
hour previous to the explosion taking place, but when it
occurred I had left. I know the front kitchen. I saw fire
there on the day of the occurrence—red and green. It was
intended for Vauxhall and Crenr,rne. It was made in the
front kitchen. The red was made of strontian, sulphur, salt-
petre, and oxide of capper ; the green of sulphur, charcoal,
and oxide of copper. Madame Coton made the mixture.
Mr. Pierce—What was the quantity made daily?

Mr. Gifford, for the prisoner, objected to the question.
The learned judge ruled that the question must be
answered. It was important that the quantity made should
be known, because if it was in so large a quantity as to be-
come alarming, then the person keeping it there became
guilty, in the evcnt of accident arising therefrom, of man-
slaughter. It appeared that the prisoner's wife carried on
the business of a firework maker, and to make him respon-
sible for such a circumstance it must be proved that he was
aware of the fact.

Witness—There were about five or six pounds used per
day. I cannot say whether the quantity varied. It was
used for filling coloured cases for the garden. The cases
were made in the back kitchen. There was nothing done
to those cases out of the house Wore they were sold. I
don't know the prisoner ever took away any of the goods.
The fireworks were exhibited for sale in the shop. I have
known the prisoner to take cases away from the house to
Peckham, where he kept his stock. After casts arrived
there they were filled with red fire with a rammer and a
little mallet. If the composition was struck too hard it would
explode. After the red fire was made it was put into can-
isters and kspt in the yard. I can't say whether before
being placed in the canisters it was exposed to the action of
fire to dry. If a canister was to fall from a shelf that would
not cause an explosion. The rammer is to press the fire
down. Two little boys were employed to the cases. I
don't know their names. I have seen the prisoner bring
fireworks to the house in Westminster-road from the fac-
tory at Peckham, every day. When I left the house on the
evening of the explosion, Harrison was engaged in " pot-
ting" rockets. About five or six dozen of the rockets were
made per day. The little rockets were made at Mr. Sunter's,
in Charles-street, five or six doors down. There was no
way of getting to this house without going down the
street. It would take about a couple of hours to fill a
dozen of the rockets. I know a firework called mine
serpents; they were made of a composition similar to that
of the rockets. The same two little boys were engaged to
make them. One of the boys was about 10, anti the ether
13 years of age. I never received any directions concerning
the manufacture from the prisoner. I have never heard the
prisoner speak to anybody about fireworks. Madame Coton
always got the orders together. I have seen Madame Coton
sometimes ride in the cart with the prisoner. She used to
at the garden. I never saw any gun-
powder wtdheer inthitresp
bihouse. I was not allowed to go upstairs.
The composition of which the rockets were made was kept
at Sunter's. Mr. Bennett never brought the composition to
the shop in the Westminster-road. The fireworks for the
different gardens left the house always between five and
six o'clock.

-..--
John Watson, a little boy, aged eleven years, said—l first
saw the blue fire nlicht in the back kitchen. I was filling
ro, h t canes with blue lire. I tan out of ihe place.
By Mr. Gifford—l was usually employed to clay the rocket
cases, but Madame Coton had on some occasions told me to
the cases..

By the Judge—When I saw the light I ran away. I did
not hear any noise.

_
William Brage, another little fellow, aged thirteen, said
—I was in the house when the fire was first discovered.
I was in. the middle room. I saw Mrs. Bennett, Watson,
and my brother David there. He was three years younger
than I am. We were all employed by Mrs. Benceit. I
could see into the back kitchen. The door being open I
saw some of the red fire alight, and I cried out to Madame
Coton, and then ran out into the street. Before I got out
I heard no noise. My hair was singed a bit, and I lost my
coat. The fire followed me up s•nirs. Madame Coton
did not leave until after I had done. I heard no ex-
plo•ion before I got out into the street. I had been
employed on the premises about five or six weeks. I
have not seen Mr. Bennett there often. He used to come
down stairs and take his breakfast in the middle room.
The medical evidence proved that death was occasioned
by fire.
The learned judge, at great length, commented upon the
evidence, and said, the questions for the jury were whether
the deceased child, Caroline Bridger, came to her death by
fire, and was the prisoner in any way liable for the results
of the disaster which took place on the 12th of July .
The jury, after a short deliberation, returned a verdict of
not guilty.
There is another indictment against the prisoner for
creating a common nuisance.

TIIIItD COURT.
(Before the Comtnon Sergeant.)
TJTTER LNG COUNTERFEIT COIN.-17e$se Kn in and
Emma Loveday were indicted for uttering a counterfeitu
shilling, with intent to defraud, &c.
From the evidence of a boy in the employ of Mr. Stevens,
a tradesman residing near
Whitecross-street, it appeared
that the female prisoner entered the shop and asked for a
quarter of a', pound of soap, in payment for which
she tendered a shilling, which Was discovered to be
counterfeit, arid returned to her. She left the shop
and Mr. Stevens directed Hopkins to follow her,
and having done so for same time, he observed her cross the
street and join the male prisoner. They walked on for some
time, and he then saw
King give the woman another shil-
ling, with which she entered another shop and succeeded in
pa sing; it. On leaving she e the prisoner King the
change, observing which the buy told a policeman of the
circumstances, and he went up to the woman, but the male
prisoner succeeded in making his !scope. After the
woman had been hedged in the station-house the male
prisoner was pointed out by the boy amongst the crowd
outside the door, and he was taken into custody.
The offence having been clearly proved, and a former con-
viction for uttering base coin having been recorded,
The Common Sergeant, in passing sentence, said it was
clear that the female prisoner Loveday had been made the
tool of King, and be therefore should pass upon her
a very lenient seuteuce, namely, three months'
imprisonment with hard labour, but with respect
to King, he had before been convicted of a similar offence'
and warning seemed to be of no use to him, it had been
clearly proved that he bad for sometime been in the habit of
defrauding a class of poor shopkeepers, who could of ail others
ill affbrd it, by passing counterfeit coin, such being the fact
he had determined that, at all events for some years, he
should not have another opportunity of so doing. He then
penal seryitude.
sentenced King to six years'