The Sun.
London, England, 1858-02-03 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE—Feb. 2.

WESTMINSTER.—Francis Henry Laws, aged
37, of very mild looks, was placed at the bar before
Mr. Paynter, charged with having caused the death
of Catherine Laws, his wife, a woma'l of irregular
habits, by striking her on the held with a saucepan.
From the evidence of Elias Thomas Wise it ap-
peared that on the 12. h of January lait he wont to
the house of prisoner, No. 12, Cartaret-streot,
about mid-day, to see the brother of the accused,
and his wife, who had been out drinking, came

home and commenced quarreling, and witness
heard accused say, "If you say that again I'll
smack your beaJ," to which she replied, "Do it,
do it." Witness immediately afterwards turned
round to them and saw prisoner standing with a
saucepan in his hand, and deceased's head was
bleeding, she exclaiming "oh 1" as if in pain.
She endeavoured to return the blow, when witness
prevented her. Directly it happened the prisoner
sent for assistance and had her heal attended to,
and from that time until the moment of her death
he frequently expressed his contrition and seemed
very sorry. Next day, and for a whole week, the
accused and his wife went out together, sometimes
drinking, and the latter appeared to be improving.
About a week afterwards she was taken ill, and at
times appeared deranged, till she at length died on
Sunday last. On the night after the occurrence
she went to tilt:, theatre; and the prisoner paid
great attention to her.
Mr. G. Burton Paine, M.R.C.S., said he was
called to attend the deceased on the 22d ult. She
had a scalp wound near the left temple. It was
nut in itself a very serious wound, but erpsipeiasset
in. She appeared to get better until a few days ago,
when she had a relapse, and died on the 31st ult.
It was his opinion that (Lath had result-Al from
erysipelas brought on by the effects of the wound
inflicted. In 11 cases out of 12 such a wound
would not be serious. He believed that had the
deceased been regullr in her habits she might have
lived. The accused was very attentive to his wife
and seemed very sorry.
Police-constab!e W. Halloway, 227 B, said that
he apprehended the prisoner on Monday afternoon.
At the station he said, " I did strike her with the
saucepan, but we were both drunk at the time."
Mr. Solomon who appeared for the accused, and
elicited much of the evidence in cross-examination,
solicited the magistrate to take bail.
Mr. Paynter said he could not do so until he
knew the result of the coroner's inquest.
The prisoner, who appeared to be very much
affected at the result of his violence, was remanded
for a week.

MARLEOROUGH-STREET.—AndrianVallier
(Frenchman), was charged with wounding Alfred
Bianchi (sltraelel7 c). They were in a public-house
in
t aostie
..t
Italian' called the Dust-hole, when, accord-
ing s statement, the Frenchman came
cup to him and said, " You were in Paris to kill the
Emperor." He told the Frenchman not to insult
him. The Frenchman pulled out a knife, and
struck at him, and wounded him. He believed the
knife was open, He did not begin the affray by
calling the Frenchman a mouchard.
the
For the defence, evidence was called to show
that a squabble arose, bad language used, a scuffle
ensued, and that complainant cut his forehead in
falling.
Mr. Beadon, being of opinion that provoking
language had been used by th 3 complainant, and
that the injury he had sustained had occurred from
the fall, discharged the defendant.

VIE CLERICAL INQUIRY AT LIVERPOOL

The
inquiry into the charges against the Rev.
Mr. Gent was resumed yesterday morning, in the
Nisi Prius Court. No witnesses were called to rebut
the evidence of Hudson, the painter, given volun-
tarily the previous day. Af er our parcel was
indignantly
on Monday, Powell was recAlled, and
ncio on
Dandy denied Hudson's statements in toto.
Mr. Deighton,counsel for the prcsecution, then
said he should call witnesses on Tuesday to contra-
dict audeo a.

Wtlne rase
acted
dd i takenn the et Iliesei r a seats
etaht
the
yesterday,
Deighton addressed theM, saying
thathe
hisn the
Mr.
clientsCo Commissioners
8 sil:y
had o
official machinery fur eliciting the tru'h without
bearing any hostility to Mr. Gent. For his own
part, he (Mr. Deighton) had Jong before made up
his mind that there was no case against Mr. Gent.
This remark was received with loud applause.
Mr. James then addressed the Cummissionersfor
the defence, at considerable length, arguing that the
charges against
Mr. Gent were paltry and malig-
nant. He severely censured the conduct of Dr.
M‘Neile and the
witnesses, and said that Mr. Gant
would now stand
ever done before.
The Co in a higher position than he bad
rataissionere then retired from court.
Loud calli were made for Mr. Gent, and when the
rev. gentlemen
faced the crowd and bowed his
acknowledgm nts, the court rang again with the
entt .1: s antic plaudits of his admirers. Mr. Holden,
who had given evidence on Monday, was then
called for, and loudly cheered. Three groans were
asked arel h,artily
g continued for some time.
given for Ware (a witness).
Thu groans and hisses
Gilpin (another anti-Gent witness) was next
4'43 ""1 a', a'id reverply bustled by the crowd.
A man (reheat fur three cheers for Gilpin, and
brought down on his own head the wrath of the
multitude, for he was speedily ejected frown the
court, and it was only owing to the police that he
was not severely handled.
The Curntnissiouers returned into court after an
absence of little mere than 5 minutes. When
silence was restored,
The Vicar-General rose and said—The Commis-
sioners uneniniously 1 leelara, in the words of the
statute, that there is not sufficient Primalacie
ground for inAitutin4 further proceedings.
This announcement was received with loud and
prolonged applause. Three cheers were rucces-
sively given for the Rev. Mr. Gent, and for Mr.
JAMS, his couniel, and the crowd left the court in
the midst of great excitement and uproar. .
On Mr. Gent leaving the court, he was immedi-
ately surrounded by a 'ergo body of friends of the
operative class, who carried him from the portico,
shoulder high, to a car. The horse in the car was
instantly unyoked,
and the same ready hands,
laying hold of the carriage, dragging it along