The Sun.
London, England, 1867-11-06 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 6, 1867.

to the Livesey-street Reading-room. He returned
about a quarter past two o'c'ock in the afternoon,
and remained antil 20 minutes past four o'clock,
when he went out with a message for his brother
John, from her daughter, John's wife, to ask him to
come home half an hour caner to go with her to the
theatre. John Martin wowed at Clayton. When
William returned from the library in the afternoon
he brought a book, "Diary of Miss Kitty Trevel-
yan." (The book was produced, and bore the date
the 18th of September, the day on which it was
taken out.) lie read that look until tea time.

The witness was cross-examined by the Attorney-
General, but nothing material was elicited.

Edward Ferdinand Bohn, wholesale priutseller
and carver and gilder, sail the prisoner William
Martin was in his employ from July to August, and
left him because- he did not understand getting
orders. He found sureties, and witness had not to
call upon them. Mr. William Bailey, of the firm of
Bailey and Co., accountants and estate agents, re-
membered William Martfn calling on him on the
Monday before Sergeant Brett was shot. Martin
was negotiating with him about entering his service•
He was to have called again on Thursday, the 19th
September.

Eliza Martin, the wife of John Martin, corrobo.
rated the testimony of th 3 former witness, Susannah
Kirkby.

Jane Farrell deposed to seeing the prisoner Mar-
tin in Mrs. Kirkby's house about 3 o'clock on the
afternoon of the 18th September.
Ellen Brecknell, whose husband was the chief
carpenter at the Theatre Royal, deposed to giving
Mrs. Martin an order for the theatre for two on the
morning of the 18th September.
The Court adjourned a few minutes after 6 o'clock

This (Tuesday) morning, Mr. Justice Blackburn.
and Mr. Justice Mellor took their seats on the bench
at 9 o'clock.

The six prisoners on trial, viz., William Martin,
John Francis Nugent, Patrick Coffey, John Bacon,
John Brannen, and Timothy Featherstone, were
placed in the dock.

The Attorney-General (Sir J. B. Karslake), Mr.
Pickering, Q.C., Mr. Sowler, Q.C., Mr. Hannen,
and Mr. Higgin conducted the prosecution on behalf
of the Crown ; Mr. Digby Seymour, Q.C., and Mr.
Earnest Jones defended Martin, Nugent, and Cof-
fey ; Mr. Sergeant O'Brien and Mr. Cottingham for
Bacon, Brannen, and Featherstone.
Mr. Justice Blackburn asked Mr. Seymour to
consider his objection to two courts ; because if one
court only was continued, it would be unnecessary
for two judges to remain.
Mr. Seymour said he would consider the matter,
and acquaint their lordships with his opinion.
A juryman in waiting, who had been fined for
non-attendance on Saturday, appealed to the Court
for remission of the penalty on the grounds that he
had been in attendance all the week, and had been
detained by important business on that day only.
Several witnesses having been called to prove an
alibi for Nugent,
Sergeant O'Brien entered on his speech for the
defence of Featherstone and Brannen. He said
before proceeding to address himself to the facts, he
would make one or two remarks on a preliminary
part of the case, to which his lordship had invited
attention. It would be recollected that two men
were arrested on the 11th of September on a charge
of vagrancy or a suspicion of felony. They were
remanded until the 18th, when there appeared to
have been evidence given against them which had
nothing to do with the original charge. Two police-
officers swore they had warrants against them from
Ireland. Neither of the warrants were backed at
that time by any magistrate in Manchester. Then,
while the warrants against these men could not be
traced at all, all the warrants of the other prisoners
in the van had been brought before the jury. It
was a curious thing that they had not had the man
here who took the warrants out of Brett's pocket.
From the time that it left the police-court up to the
time when Gardener says he destroyed it there was
no trace of it whatever. He would ask them to say
they were not satisfied that sucha warrant was made
out. He could not compliment the local authorities
of Manchester upon their carefulness. To say the
least, it was a great act of bungling, which had
not been accounted for. Hence there was
no satisfactory evidence made out to justify
the taking of these men by Brett. Having thus
referred to the point raised as to the alleged ille-
gality of the arrest of Kelly and Deasey, and the
supposed justification of the attempt made for their
escape, the learned counsel turned to the case
against the prisoners. He warned the jury that
prejudice, unseen and unknown, might have uncon-
sciously operated on their minds, and rendered them
less able to weigh the evidence in a case of this
kind. He then proceeded to comment upon the
nature of the evidence, pointing out that, from the
character of some of the witnesses, their testimony
could not be relied upon. The further arguments
advanced were substantially the same as those
urged by Mr. Seymour, which have been reported.
Several witnesses were called on behalf of Brannen.

Mr. Sergeant O'Brien then summed up his case
to the jury, as allowed by a modern alteration of
the law.

Mr. Roberts, the solicitor, was then sworn, at the
request of Mr. Seymour, to prove that Dr. Bedell
was ill and unable t) attend as a witness at that

moment.

After Mr. Seymour had concluded his speech Dr.
Bedell was called, and he deposed that Nugent was
in his house at the time of the attack on the van.
The court then adjourned.

Attempt at Manchester to Shoot a Police-

man by a Woman.

The excitement in Manchester consequent upon
the trials of the Fenians for the murder of Brett
received a considerabla accession on Monday night
by a rumour that a devoted female friend of Allen
had attempted to murder a policeman with the view
of being hanged at toe same time.
At the City Police-court, yesterday morning, the
young woman, whose name is Adelaide Macdonald,
was charged with attempting to shoot Police-con-
stable Daniel Connell, of the C division.

Connell said that about 20 minutes to 8 o'clock
ou Monday night he was on duty on the Hyde-road
when he saw the prisoner looking into the window
of a shop kept by a man named Griffiths. Witness
observed to her, " Them's nice-looking pictures."
She asked him, " Are you an Irishman ?" Witness
made no answer, and the question was repeated.
Ile then said he was an Englishman. She said,
" You are a sharp lot cf policemen," and asked how
it was they could not catch Kelly and Deasy, when
there was such a reward offered for them. Witness
made no reply and let, her, but she followed him
and lit directly heard a crack at his ear. A second
or two afterwards he heard another crack. Ile did
not know what it was, but he thought it sounded
like the fall of a pistol trigger upon a bare nipple.
Ho turned round and tie prisoner held her hand,
which appeared to be folding something, near his
ear. He asked what sle meant, to which she re-
plied that she meant to 1e hung. She said she came
there for the purpose of shooting Griffiths.

Prisoner—He's going wrong.
Witness—She put her hand into her pocket, and
said, "I'll make it go." She then drew from her
pocket a paper containing some pistol bullets, and
witness believed that at the same moment he saw a
pistol iu her hand. He at once seized her, and
brought her within the light of Griffiths' window,
and he then saw a pistol in her right hand. They
struggled for the possessicn of it for about a minute
and a half, and ultimately the pistol snapped in two
parts, the barrel being lef tin witness's hand and the
stock in the prisoner's. The sergeant now came up
and ordered witness to take prisoner into custody.
The sergeant asked her mbether she had anything
in her pocket, and she replied that she had some
balls and caps. She drew the balls and caps, in two
separate papers, from her pocket. She had no powder.
When witness took the pistil from her it was cocked,
but not capped. Witness afterwards examined the
ground. He found no cal there, but he found a
ball.

In reply to the magistrats, the prisoner said she
did not know that she had sny question to ask the
witness. She had no friends here. She came from
Liverpool.

Mr. Kennedy—lt is a serious matter this if proved.
Mr. Rickards—Have you no one here ?
Prisoner—No; I do not wish to have.
Mr. Rickards—Do you understand your position?
Prisoner (laughing) —Oh, yes ; quite.
Mr. Superintendent Anderton said that shortly
before nine o'clock on Monday he received from
Connell and Sergeant Sharp the pistol produced.
He examined the pistol, and then asked the prisoner
if she had any powder. She put her hand into her
pocket and said she had had some, and the constable
must have taken it from her. Witness produced
four caps which he got from Connell, and these he
had found were rather too small for the nipple of
the pistol. Witne;s asked if the prisoner chose to
give any account of herself. She replied, " I have
been to the goal to see Allen, and they refuse to let
me see him, and told me I must get a magistrate's
order." Witness unscrewed the pistol and saw
powder and paper in it. He also saw in it the ball
produced. He had taken it that morning to a gun-
smith, who in his presence drew the charge. At.
the Town-hall that morning witness charged the
prisoner with presenting a pistol at a constable with
intent to do him grievous bodily harm, and he also
gave her the usual caution. She replied, "I did."
He asked her if she desired to give her address in
Liverpool, but she declined. He had only been able
to ascertain that she was a servant. The shop-
keeper Griffiths was one of the witnesses against
Allen and others at the assizes, and the witness
Connell was an officer who had been placed onHyde-
road fora special purpose.

Mr. Kennedy.—lfave you anything to ask the
witness ?

Prisoner—Nothing, thank you.

Mr. Thomas Newton, gunsmith, Lower King-
street, said the pistol brought by Mr. Anderton was
loaded in the usual way with powder, wadding, and
ball. He could scarcely tell whether a cap had
been recently snapped on the nipple. The caps
produced would fit the nipple with a little pressure,
but they would be so split that a little movement
would make them fall off. There was sufficient
powder in the pistol to have discharged the shot.
The pistol, a middle-class one, was quite new.
Mr. Le Court (the clerk)—Have you anything to
ask him ?

Prisoner—Nothing, sir.
In reply to the statutory caution,
The Prisoner said Connell had insulted her firs
in the Hyde-road.

Mr. Kennedy advised her to say nothing at pre-
sent. She replied, " Very well ; let them have all
the say to themselves. I wish to say nothing."
The witnesses were bound over to appear at the
next assizes ; but on the application of ➢lr. Super-
intendent Anderton, who said the police wished to
learn something about her, the prisoner was 're-
manded for a week. The prisoner, who is of pre-
possessing appearance, appeared to be about 19 years
of age. The prisoner is an old acquaintance of the
convict Allen, and is also known to Gould and other
of the Fenian prisoners. She made application at
the New Bailey on Monday for permission to see
the convicts, but was told that a magistrate's order
was necessary.

THE NORTHUMBERLAND PIT INUN-
DATION.

On Saturday afternoon an inquest was opened at
Shankhouse Colliery, before Mr. Cockroft, coroner
for South Northumberland, on the body of Robert
Allan, a sinker, aged 45, who lost his life while en-
deavouring to lessen the damage done by the inun-
dation of that pit on the afternoon of Thursday
last. Mr. Atkinson, the Government inspector of
mines in the district, and Mr. Telford, viewer,
were present. The pit is the property of Messrs.
E. Potter, Hugh Taylor, and R. 0. Lamb, who are
also the owners of Cramlington, Dundley, and
Hartford Collieries, all in the same neighbourhood.
Plessy Colliery also belongs to the same gentlemen,
but it has not been worked for some years. It is
therefore well filled with water. It was by two of
the hewers in Shankhousepit deviating from the pro-
per line of the workings, and making a communica-
tion with the Plessy workings, that the inundation
occurred on Thursday. About 150 men and
boys were at work at the time. Fortunately they
were all rescued. It was later in the afternoon that
the deceased came by his death, as detailed in the
evidence. Nearly 25 ponies were drowned, and the
damage to property is immense. The water had on
Saturday reached the height of some 80 feet, and it
was still pouring in with as much velocity as ever.
In opening the proceedings at the inquest the coro-
ner remarked on the serious character of the cala-
mity. It was marvellous that it had not been at-
tended with a much greater loss of life. Thomas
Henderson, sinker, stated that at the request of Mr.
Maughan, engineer, he went down the pit shortly
after the inundation commenced, to endeavour to
lift the scaffold. The deceased descended shortly
afterwards. The scaffold was not then covered
with water. They "shot" some stones in order to
improve the ventilation. But the water was coming
in so fast that in two hours they deemed it unsafe
to remain longer. A man named Robert Hamilton
had also been at work with them. Allan and the
witness prepared to come to bank together—not by
the cage, but by the pumping shaft. The deceased
preferred to come up. by the latter shaft though re-
commended to proceed in the cage. Of course there
would have been less danger in going by the cage.
He wore a cap, a jacket, and a pair of breeches, but
had nothing strong to protect his head. They put
their legs into loops in the rope in the pumping
shaft, held on with their hands, and were pulled up
in that way. The deceased complained several
times of being frightened, and said the water was
" scumfishing" him. The witness kept hold of him
for some time, but eventually let go, as he had
enough to do to keep himself right. They were
pulled up without any jerks. The depth of the
shaft was seventy-seven fathoms. When they
had got up about sixty fathoms the witness be-
came alarmed lest Allan's strength should give
way. Those fears were too well-founded, for
just about that time he fell back, his legs slipped
from the loops, and no more was seen of him.
The deceased was well accustomed to such work,
and witness could give no reason for his being so
frightened, except that he felt his strength failing.
John Watson, siuker, deposed that news was
brought to East Hartford Colliery that the Shank-
house pit had been flooded. Ile at once proceeded
to the spot with others to render their services if
required. They volunteered to go down in search
of Allan's body. They did so, and, by the use of
grappling irons, recovered it about 7 o'clock on
Thursday night. At this stage the inquiry was ad-
journed until Thursday next, in order that the pit
might be examined and evidence collected as to the
cause of the inundation. No special efforts have
yet been made to pump the water out of the pit. As
the workings are very extensive this will be an
arduous work. In the meantime a large number
of hands have been thrown idle, but it is said
arrangements will be made to get them employment
in the other collieries belonging to the same gen-
tlemen. A peculiar difficulty, however, is likely to
be felt in accomplishing this. It will be remembered
that about two years ago there was a protracted
strike among the men at Shankhouse and Cram-
lington Collieries, which resulted in their being
evicted from their houses in the presence of the
military, and in their places being taken by men
brought from Cornwall. As might have been ex-
pected, the new corners had the cold shoulder shown
them by the pitme❑ belonging to Northumberland,
and an enmity, finding practical manifestation occa-
sionally, has subsisted between them ever since.
The .Northumbrians proper assert that this calamity
would not have occurred but for the inexperience of
the Cornish hewers. It is said that strong objections
will be offered to any proposal to send them into
any of the pits where " natives" (as the Cornish call
the Northumbrian miners) alone are at work. This
may not be the case, but at present there are mur-
murings and threatenings abroad which point to
the likelihood of this sufficiently disastrous calamity
becoming yet more productive of evil.

The Liverpool town council have passed a vote
of thanks to Messrs. D. and C. M'lver for saving the town
from an awkward dilemma by giving uptheir fine steamers
Australasian and Africa to house the troops considered
necoseary for the defence of the town.