The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-18 00:00:00

THE SHEFFIELD MURDERERS.

A question-has arisen with reference to the state
of feeling among the members of the implicated
unions, and the demeanour of those members in the
Commissioners' Court. " In some respects the ques-
tion is a little one ; in Others, it is -moat important.
Perhaps it may be best dealt with by a sober state-
ment of facts. And we may here announce that
some of the facts we are about to mention are not
generally known. In the early days of the inquiry
it was suggested to us by some of the leading gen-
tlemen of the town, that it was not well to suffer
so many persons of a very low class to be present
in the body of the court. The thing seen was
that a considerable number of roughs were in
attendance ; the thing suspected was, that the
roughs were exercising, and would continue to ex-
ercise, an intimidating influence on the witnesses,
by the mere fact of their presence. That they did
exercise such an influence, is well known to the
authorities. On the first occasion of his appear-
ance, Ilallam went to the court resolved to abide
by the truth as recorded in his written and at-
tested statement to Mr. Fretson, but suddenly
altered his mind, to the surprise of the solicitors.
He had been got at on the staircase by whis-
perers intent on defeating the ends of justice,
and he turned deadly pale when he looked
on the array of well-known faces in the
unenclosed part of the court. On the second
occasion of Hallarn's appearance he was afraid—
actually afraid—of being shot in open court, and
it was to reassure him that the Chief Constable
consented to place himself in such a position as to
shield him while he was engaged in giving his evi-
dence. The fear may have been an absurd one,
and the result of a high degree of nervous excite-
ment, but it was there. Since that time Ilallam
has left the country. Why has he left the country ?
His leaving
is significant. Need we explain its
meaning ? Sheffield is safe for Crookes and for
Broadhead. The men who have done the deeds
that have appalled all England have so little to fear
that the mere reporting of their impenitent utter-
ances has been resented as cruel ; but the man
who, by confessing the truth, has brought their
deeds to light has bad, for his own security,
to go forth into exile. Hallam knew, what
the police also knew, and what many decent work-
ing men who were present in the promiscuous crowd
knew, that his confesSion had brought down upon
his head curses both -loud and deep, and that for
the information he bad given the Commissioners he
was a marked man. We grant that the great bulk
of the men of Sheffield are sound at heart in their.
abhorrence of murder, but there is scarcely a news
agent, or a keeper of a public-house, who does not
knowjustify Broadhead, and
w
openly
tterest imprecations, not
l a of
u menneii
intowho
theo pe
against Hallam merely, but against those who.
have been conspicuous in the work of bringing
the Commission to Sheffield. The persons we speak
of are of the class, who after Broadhead's confes-
sion lingered in front of the Council Hall to try to
counterbalance the hOoting by clapping of 'lauds
and cheers. These were no myths but deplorable
realities. During the sittings of the Commission
these it was who muttered their dissatisfaction when
a witness let out inconvenient truths, and who
laughed so often that the Chief Commission had re-
peatedly in his sternest manner—we rppeal to the
gentlemen of Sheffield who were present to say
whether we exaggerate—that the business was of
most solemn character, and that if there was any
more of that levity he would order the court to be
cleared. Such a state of things suggests a need for
strict surveillance. The snake is scotched, not
killed.—Sheffield Telegraph.

PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN.
—The following candidates passed the major examination
as pharmaceutical chemists yesterday :—John Scoley,
Battle, Lincoln; John Butterworth, London; Walter
John Churchill, Birmingham ; Samuel Jas. Gittoes, West
Bromwich; Alfred Richard Hall, London; Henry Thos.
Harwood, Yeovil; Archibald Ritchin, Whitehaven; John
Knight, London ; John Clements Perress, Southampton ;
Arthur William Postans, Bury St. Edmund's ; Henry
Woolhouso Shaw, Witham ; Walter Tracy Walker,
Maidstone.