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

POLICE INTELLIGE4NCE--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 woman of irregular
habits, by striking her on the head with a saucepan.
From the evidence of Elias Thomas Wise it ap-
peared that on the 12th of January last he went to
the house of prisoner, No. 12, Cartaret-street,
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
emack your head," 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 !" 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 head 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 the theatre, and the prisoner paid
great attention to her.
Mr. G. 13nrt,,n Pine, M.Tt.O.S., said he was
called to attend the deceased on the 22d ult. She
had a scalp wound near the left temple. It was
not in itself a very serious wound, but erpsipeias set
in. She appeared to get better until a few days ago,
when she had a rAapse, and died on the 31st ult.
It was his opinion that death had resulted 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 regular 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 D, 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 druuk 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.

was charged with wounding Alfred
They were in a public-house
VAILLEOROUGH-STREET.—Andrian Vanier
ill'aiarCena,s7bthieTtntra)e.leiat,nc).alled the Dust-hole, when, accord-
ing to the Italian's statement, the Frenchman came
up to him and said, " Yon 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. Ilebelieved the
knife was open, He did not begin the affray by
calling the Frenchman a mouchard.
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.
being of opinion that provoking
lanAlguragßecahrdnteen used by the complainant, and
that the injury he had sustained had occurred from
the fall, discharged the defendant.

TiIECLgBICAL QUliiir-ATLIVE_RP 00E.

r intoestimTdo
yesterday charges
morning,
The inquirythe Rev.
Mr. Gent was
in the
Nisi Pri us Court. No witnesses were called to rebut
the evidence of Hudson, the painter, given volun-
tarily on the previous day. Af.er our parcel was
despatched ou Mouthy, Powell was recalled, and
indignantly denied. Hudson's statements in toto.
Mr. Deightonotounsel for the prosecution, then
said he should call witnesses on Tuesday to contra-
dict Hudsou._
.
. _

When` the Commissioners had taken their seats
yesterday, Mr. Deighton' addressed them, saying
that his clients had only acted in the case as the
official machinery for eliciting the truth without
bearing any hostility to Mr. Gent. For his own
•part, he (Mr. Deighton) had long 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 Commissionersfor
the defence, at considerable length, arguing that the
charges against Mr. Gent were paltry and malig-
nant. He severely
M`Neile and the witnpsgeq, and said that Mr. Gent
would now stand in a higher position than he had
ever done before, censured the conduct of Dr.

The Commissioners then retired from court. I
:Loud call] were made for Mr. Gent, and when the
rev. gentleman faced the crowd and bowed his',
.acknowledem'nts, the court rang again with the
-entitl3 astic plaudits of his admirers. Mr. Holden,
:who had given
evidence on. Monday, was then
called for, and loudly cheered.. Three groans were
caked
.and heartily
given 'for Ware (a witness).
.The ;roans and hisses continued for some time.
Gilpin , (another anti-Gent witness) was next
groaned at, and severely hustled by the crowd.
A man called for three cheers for Gilpin, and
brought
down on his own head the wrath of the
multitude, for he was speedily ejected from the
court, and it was only owing to the police that he
was not severely-handled.
The Commissioners returned into court after an
absence of little
more than
5 minutes. When
silence was restored, .
The Vicar-General rose and said—The Commis-
sioners unanimously 'declare, in the words of the
statute, thet there is not sufficient prima facie
ground for instituting further proceedings:
This announcement was received with loud and
prolonged applause. Three cheers were succes-
sively given for the Rev. Mr. Gent, and for Dlr.
Jam, a, his counsel, and the ct owd left the court in
the midst of great excitement and uproar. .
On Mr. Gent levying, the court, he was immedi-
ately surrounded by a large body of friends of the
operative class, who carried him from the portico,
shoulder high, to a car. The horse in the car was
instsnily unyoked, and the same ready -hands,
laying hold of the carriage, dragging it along