The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-20 00:00:00

" What's the fault of the gal P Ain't she sound
Pull off her rags and let us see her." _ _ _

At last the auctioneer obtained a hearing long
enough to explain that there was no attempt to
practise deception in the case—the parties were
not to be wronged in any way—he had no desire
to palm off on them an inferior article, but the
truth was that Daphney had been confined only 15
days ago, and he thought on that account she was
entitled to the slight indulgence of a blanket, to
keep from herself and child the chill air and the
driving rain.

Will- your lady readers look at the circumstances
of this case ? The day was the 2d of March.
Daphney's baby was born into the world on St.
Valentine's happy day, the 14th February. Since
her confinement, Daphney had travelled to the
plantation to Savannah, where she had been kept
in a shed for six days. On the sixth or seventh
day after sickness she had left her bed, takin4 a
railroad journey across the country to the shambles,
was there exposed for six days to the questionings
and insults of the negro speculators, and then on
the fifteenth day after her confinement was put up
on the block, with her husband and her other child,
and, with her new-born baby in her arms was sold
to the highest bidder.

It was- very considerate in Daphney to be sick
before the sale, for her wailing babe was worth to
Mr. Butler a hundred dollars. The family sold
for 625 dollars a-piece.
And so the great sale went on for two long days,
during which time there were sold 429 men,
women, and children. There were 436 announced
to be sold, but a few were detained on the planta-
tions by sickness.
At the close of the sale, on the last day, sundry
baskets of champagne were produced, and all were
invited to partake, the said wine being at the ex-
pense of the broker, Mr. Bryan.
The total amount of the sale foot up 309,850 dols.
—the proceeds of the first day being 167,480 dols.,
and the second day 142,370 dols.
The highest sum given for any one family was
given for Sally Walker and her five children, who
were mostly grown up. The price was 6,180 dols.
The highest price paid for a single man was
1,750 dols., which was given for William, " a fair
carpenter and caulker."
The highest price paid for a woman was 1,250
dols., which was given for Jane, " cotton hand and
house servant."

The lowest price paid was for Anson and Violet,
a grey-haired couple, each having numbered more
than 50 years. They brought but 250 dols. a piece.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.-April 19.

MANSION-HOUSE.—Patrick Haren, a lad
about 12, was charged before Alderman Mechi(who
sat for the Lord Mayor) with stealing a Guernsey
shirt from the shop of Mr. Young, hosier, Minories.
It appeared from the evidence that as Thomas
Smith was passing along the Minories he saw the
prisoner and another lad dodging about Mr. Young's
shop, and from their manner he was induced to
watch them. The prisoner seeing him, walked away,
but came back and jumped up at the shop door,
and pulled down a shirt. Witness ran across
and secured him, when he dropped the shirt and
commenced struggling, and threw Smith down, but
he was held until a policeman came up, when he
was given into custody. The other boy escaped.
An officer in the court said the prisoner had been
previously convicted, which he denied.
Alderman Mechi--Well, what have you to say to
this charge ?
Prisoner--Why, I was passing by Mr. Young's
shop when a boy came up, pulled the shirt down,
and mined away ; an' that 'ere gentleman came up
and collared me.

Alderman Mechi sentenced the prisoner to three
months' hard labour.

CLERKENWELL.—Mary Ann Barker, a fruit-
sellers, of Pleasant-row, Camden-town, surrendered
to her recognisance before Mr. Corrie, charged with
murderously as-Aulting Mrs. Jane Mansell, of Bay-
ham-street, St. Pancras, whereby her life is endan-
gered. Mr. Thomas Wakeling appeared for the
prosecution.

The assault complained of was committed on the
Ist inst., the defendant having struck the complain-
ant a violent blow. which knocked her down and
rendered her insensible. Since that time she re-
mained in a paralytic state, and was for some days
not expected to live.

Mr. Wakeling said his client was still in such a
bad state that it would be weeks before she would
be able to attend, and he had therefore to ask for a
lengthened remand. He then handed in the follow-
ing certificate :

" St. James's-terrace, Camden-town.
"I hereby certify that Mrs. Mansell is gradually recover-
ing from the serious injury recently inflicted upon her. I
saw her last evening, and found her better, although not
yet out of danger. She can use the right side of her body
somewhat
better, but is still very much paralysed. Her
memory is also slowly returning ; but the state of her mind
and body will not at present admit of her giving evidence in
a court of law, and that probably for some weeks to come.
"JOHN C. DAY, M. 8., Surgeon."
Mr. Corrie said it was a very bad case, and he
should remand it for a month. He would, however,
accept the same bail as before for the prisoner's
attendance.

The bail having been put in, the woman was
allowed to depart.

SOUTHWARK.—Henry Pulham, a trouncer, in
the employ of Messrs. Cory and Son, the extensive
coal merchants of the Commercial-road, Lambeth
and Charles Haggard, an ostler, were charged with
stealing a large quantity of horse food, the property
of Messrs. Cory.
It appeared from the evidence of police-constable
125 L that he had been for a few days past em-
ployed in private clothes to watch the prosecutors'
carmen and others who went out with the coal
waggons, as a great deal of corn had been missed in
a very mysterious way. He watched the waggon
which the prisoner Pulham accompanied for two
days, and on the previous morning he saw him and
the carman leave the wharf with a waggon load of
coals. They proceeded up Kent-street and stopped
at the Castle publichouse, where the carman entered.
Pulham then went to the waggon and took a sack
of corn off and handed it to Haggard, when they
both went away. Witness, however, followed them
and took them into custody.
Mr. Hooper, fireman and constable in Messrs.
Cory's service, said that Pulham had been in their
employ 17 years. When the men went long dis-
tances with a load, they always took with them an
extra quantity of corn for the horses. Instead of
giving it to the horses they sold it, and so the horses
were injured.
Mr. Cory, jun., who was in attendance, said that
the robberies were so mysteriously committed that,
when detected, they were compelled to prosecute.
The carman was discharged. Although he did not
actually handle the corn, he must have known all
about it.
The prisoners pleaded guilty, and were sentenced
to two months hard labour each.

LAMBETH.---Robert Read and William Rich-
ardson, draymen, in the service of Alessrs. Barclays

him. I just get my pistol and shoot him right down ;
and that's the best way."
And this brute was talking to gentlemen, and his
remarks were listened to with attention, and. his
assertions assented to by more than one in the knot

of listeners. But all this time the sale was going on

and the merry Mr. Walsh, with many a quip and
jest, was beguiling the time when the bidding was
slow.
The expression on the faces of all who stepped on
the block was always the same, and told more
anguish than it is in the power of words to express.
Blighted homes, crushed hopes, and broken hearts,
was the sad story to be read in all the anxious faces.
Some of them regarded the sale with perfect indif-
ference, never making a motion save to turn from
one side to the other at the word of the dapper Mr.
Bryan, that all the crowd might have a fair view of
their proportions, and then, when the sale was ac-
complished, stepping down from the block without
caring even to cast a look at the buyer., who now
held all their happiness in his hands. Others again,
strained their eyes with eager glances from one
buyer to another as the bidding went on, trying
with earnest attention to follow the rapid voice of
the auctioneer. Sometimes two persons only would
be bidding for the same chattel, all the others hav-
ing resigned the contest, and then the poor creature
on the block, conceiving an instantaneous prefer-
ence for one of the buyers over the other, would
regard the rivalry with the intensest interest, the
expression of his face changing with every bid,
settling into a half smile of joy if the favourite
buyer persevered unto the end and secured the pro-
perty, and settling down into a look of hopeless
despair if the other won the property.
The family of Primus, plantation carpenter, con-
sisting of Daphney his wife, with her young babe,
and Dido, a girl of three years of age, were reached
in due course of time. Daphney had a large shawl,
which she kept carefully wrapped round the infant
and herself. This unusual proceeding attracted
much attention, and provoked such remarks as
these—
" What do you keep your nigger covered up for ?
Pull off her blanket.'

" What's the matter with the gal, has she got the
headache ?"

" Who's going to bid on that nigger if you keep
her covered up ? Les see her face."
And a loud chorus of similar remarks, empha-
sized with loud profanity, and mingled with say-
ings too indecent and obscene to be hinted here'
went up from the crowd of chivalrous (?) Southern
gentlemen.