The Sun.
London, England, 1867-10-28 00:00:00

SPECIAL COMMISSION AT MANCHESTER.

The Special Commission for the trial of the
Fenian prisoners charged with the murder of Police-
sergeant Brett, at Manchester, on the 18th of
September last, was opened on Saturday afternoon.
Mr. Justice Mellor drove up to the Assize Courts
in the carriage of the High Sheriff a few minutes
before four o'clock. Mr. Justice Blackburn had not
reached Manchester, but was expected by an early
train. A crowd of people had assembled in the
vicinity of the court, but the attendance inside was
not large. Mr. Justice Mellor came upon the
bench fully robed, and not in civilian attire as on
ordinary occasions. There were some of the
magistrates of the visiting committee present, in-
cluding Mr. William Rayner Wood and Mr. Hib-
bert, with a rather stronger force of county police
than usual, but in no other respect was there a de-
parture from the course adopted at the opening of
other assizes. The reading of the Commission
occupied only a few minutes, and the Court then
adjourned till Monday (this day).

Mr. W. P. Roberts received a final answer -from
the Home-office on Saturday evening. After his
latest published letter to Mr. Secretary Hardy he
telegraphed to the press on Saturday morning as
follows :

" This morning brings me letter from the Trea-
sury Solicitor, with list of 25 additional witnesses,
none of whom were ever heard of before, to give
evidende against Allen and others. It is altogether
impossible that proper defence can be made without
time for inquiry and consultation with prisoners, no
two of whom can be seen at the same time. The
supposed evidence, corresponding with what these
new witnesses would have said before the magis-
trates, should have been sent to me at least a fort-
night ago—as, indeed, was promised when the case
was before the magistrates. This course is always
adopted in such cases. I have telegraphed the
Home Secretary that the prisoners in iy not t e tried
till as long after Monday as can be given, and that
the supposed evidence may be sent me directly."
The answer from the Home Secretary, received by
telegram on Saturday evening, was as follows :
" I cannot interfere in any way with the opening
of the Commission. lam informed that it is not
necessary, but common as a matter of fairness, to
give the names of new witnesses who may possibly
be called. This has been done as soon as was prac-
ticable. Your application by letter that the Go-
vernment should bear the expenses of the defence
cannot be entertained."

The following is the list of counsel actually retained
by the Government to conduct the prosecution :
The Attorney-General, Sir J. B. Karslake ; Mr.
Pickering, Q.C., Mr. Sowler, Q.C., Mr. Hannen,
and Mr. Higgin. During Saturday Mr. Sergeant
O'Brien and Mr. Digby Seymour were communi-
cated with on behalf of the prisoners, and an answer
was received on behalf of those gentlemen that one
of them would reach Manchester on Saturday night,
and the other yesterday. Mr. Ernest Jones and Mr.
Cottingham will also hold briefs for the defence.

DEATH OF MR. CHARLES W. PACKE, M.P.-
Last evening, shortly before 9 o'clock, Mr. O. W. Packe,
M.P. for South Leicestershire, died at his residence, Rich-
mond-terrace, Whitehall. For some months past his ill-
ness—dropsy— was such that his nearest family connec-
tions had no hope of his ultimate recovery, and latterly he
had been in a weak and hopeless condition. The late hon.
member was a Conservative in politics, and for the 30 years
ho had been in the House of Commons (ho was elected
member for the southern division of Leicester in 1836) he
generally supported the present leader of the House of
Commons, but occasionally supported the late Lord Pal-
merston, like other members of his party. Ho was a ma-
gistrate and deputy-lieutenant for the county of Leicester,
and colonel of the Leicestershire Yeomanry. lie was the
eldest son of the late Mr. Charles James l'acko, of Prost-
wold-hall, Leicestershire, by Penelope, oldest daughter of
the late Mr. Richard D uwiale, of Blyth-hall, Warwickshire,
and married Kitty Jenkyn, only daughter of Mr. Thomas
Host, and heiress of Mr. Jenkyn,

It is said that one of the Siamese Ambassadors,
on going home from Ifis Eerop3au visit, made an elaborate
report on all ho bad seen, including the music ho had
heard i❑ the West. Ile was very little impressed by the
music, save and except that which ho said was "produced
by a great trunk set upon legs." "A woman," ho wrote,
"sits in front of this, and, tickling a sort of tail it has with
her toe, produces a variety of sounds by boating rapidly
with her fingers on a number of little bits of ivory in
front of it 1" Stichis a Siamese description of our piano-
forte !—Mis.sical Standard. " •

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