The Sun.
London, England, 1867-10-04 00:00:00

in the list of English sovereigns would have sav,..
us much. To skip Mr. Gladstone in the list of •
British premiers might save us something, but
it would lose us more. For one thing, in a c-ma-
inereial country, it is a great gain to possess a
minister who can wax sincerely eloquent about
copper and iron, and who can develope the sacred
aspect of docks and shipping, and dwell upon them
in such a manner as to make the most callous
listener feel himself a better man. The contractor
for the docks at Barrow, we must admit, so far
forgot himself the other day—fell so far below the
noble moral level at which Mr. Gladstone bad placed
their proceedings—as to mention that he had lost
money by his contract. But of course, ever since
the time of Canning's Needy Knife-grinder, there
have been people who could not forget their own
trifling cares for the sake of humanity, or docks, or
anything else. It is an immense thing to have an
eloquent man who can always repress this mer-
cenary tendency to look at the mean side of things,
and to whom even a dock is something far more
transcendent and unutterable than a big hole with
some water in it. The contractor, as he unfeelingly
put it, was " cut to loss." The two dukes thought
of a rise of rent and the value of land. Mr. Glad-
stone mounted the tripod, and saw clean through
the rather smudgy air of obscure Barrow, and how
—in the words of the wearisome Wanderer—
Hence is the wide sea peopled —hence the shores
Of Britain are resorted to by shies
Freighted from every climate of the world
With the world's choicest produce. Hence that .AnaOf keels that rest within her crowded ports,
Or ride at anchor in her sounds and bays ;
That animating spectacle of sails
That through her inland regions to and fro
Pass with the respirations of the tide,
Perpetual, multitudinous!
This is the sum of his song. There is a good deal of
similarity between Mr. Gladstone and Wordsworth.
It is certain, for example, that, if he were to write
a poem, it would be as long as the " Excursion."
In other respects possibly, besides diffuseness, he
has a measure of Wordsworthian qualities. If he
were to stand on Westminster Bridge at sunrise, he
would probably be affected as sensibly as the poet
was. lie is always ready to have susceptibilities
practised upon, either by the Lesser Celandine or
anything else. Mr. Disraeli prefers to practise upon
the susceptibilities of other people. Unless he does
himself an injustice, it would take a good many
Celaudines and Westminster Bridges to move him
to thoughts that lie too deep for tears.

THE SKELETON DISCOVERY IN

HACKNEY.

EXTRAORDINARY SCENE IN COURT AND
VERDICT.
Yesterday afternoon Mr. John Humphreys,
coroner for Middlesex, held the adjourned inquest
in the above strange case at the Earl Amherst
Tavern, Amherst-road, Hackney.
Mr. Beard, solicitor, again attended on behalf of
Mrs. Butley, and Inspector Clements, of the N
division, watched the case for the police.
Dr. W. R. F. Lane, of Bethnal-green, deposed
as follows :—I attended Mrs. Clarke up to her
death, and for two months previously. During
that period she was not delivered of a child, so far
as I had any reason to believe.
By Mr. Beard—l saw the daughter about that
time. I noticed no indications of pregnancy.

Samuel Iliscock, meat salesman in Newgate-
market, deposed-1 knew Mr. Clarke. lie was also
a salesman iu the market. I and my wife visited
Mrs. Clarke after her husband's death. After the
death of Mr. Clarke I saw a child there. I made no
inquiries about it, and don't know whose it was.
Catherine Grist, 61, Loddiges-road, dressmaker,
made mourning for Mrs. Batley after her mother's
death, but did not notice any indications of preg-
nancy. She had made a jacket for her since, but
noticed no difference as to size. Made a violet dress
for her five weeks after the mourning; she was
going to be a bridesmaid.
The Coroner observed that it was curious for a
married woman to be a bridesmaid, and ordered Mr.
Butley to be called, but he did not appear ; and the
coroner said he would adjourn the inquiry till he did

appear.
Mr. Beard objected to further adjournments, and
also to evidence being taken as to painful and irre-
levant matters.
The Coroner replied that he should conduct the
inquiry as he pleased, and without regard to what
any one might say. There were material questions
he had to ask Mr. Butley, and documents he should
have to put into his hands.
Mr. Beard—Unless they bear on the skeleton
which was discovered, I shall advise him not to
answer.
The Coroner—Then I shall commit him.
Mr. Beard—And he will try your power and take
his chance.
The Coroner—There is no doubt about my power.
Call Mrs. Butley.
Mr. Beard—And I shall advise her not to give the
names of his employers.
Mrs. Butley was then called in and examined by
the Coroner. She said her husband was away. She
did not know where. Nor did she know when he
would return, or what took him away. He kept
his business affairs private. She did not know
whether he was in the same employ now as he was
a month ago.
The Coroner observed that for his own part he
would not like to close this inquiry without Mr.
Butley. It would not be fair to him.
Mr. Beard—Oh ! you need not study his feelings.
They have been tried enough already.
After a short discussion Mr. Beard agreed to
produce ',Mr. Butley in an hour, and the Court
adjourned for that purpose.
At four o'clock the Court reassembled, and
William Butley, the husband of Mrs. Butley, was
asked by the Coroner it he married her in the name
of Eliza Limber.
Witness—l cannot answi:r that question. Tier
Christian name is Eliza. I have never read Mrs.
Clarke's will, nor a copy of it, nor heard it read.
The Coroner—Have you reason to believe that
in her mother's will she is described as Eliza
Kimber ?
Witness—None whatever. I did not know Mr.
Limber. I have never seen him. I never knew
my wife to pass under the name of Mrs. Klaiber. I
knew her first as Emma Clarke. The first child by
our marriage was born in 1866 at Clapham. We
were then living at Dag,mar-road. I moved my
wife to Clapham because her confinement came
()tidier than was expected, and we were not quite
prepared for it.
At this stage of the proceedings Mr. Beard ad-
vised his client not to answer any further ques-
tions on this point.
The Coroner—The jury will draw their own in-
ferience if he does not.
Witness—My wife's mother came to live with us
about a fortnight before her death.
The Coroner—About that time was your wife
delivered of a child?
Witness—Certainly not. I bad no conversation
with any one about her being in the family-way.
There was a box under her dressing-table. I do
not know what was kept in it. I never opened it.
The Coroner—You remember a fowl you had at
your house about the time of Mrs. Clarke's death.
Witness—Yes. I had half a dozen. One was
not kept in the cellar.
By Mr. Beard—There was a fowl kept in the
cellar a few days before the discovery of this skeleton.
I had it put there because the others fought it.
My wife, as far as my knowlege goes,was not preg-
nant at the time of Mrs. Clarke's death. The
child I referred to as born in April, 1866, was born
about the middle of the month ; think the lfith.
My wife has told me she was insulted by a man
named Webster.
By the Coroner—My wife, as far as I know; has