The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-20 00:00:00

THAMES.

CHARGE OF STABBING IN A WORKHOUSE. —An Indian
lad, named Louis Murphy, alias Kirwan, aged 16, was
brought before Mr. Partridge, charged with cutting and
wounding William Triplett, in the Stepney Union Work-
house, at Bromley, in Middlesex, of which they were both
inmates.

It appeared from the evidence of the complainant that
on Monday last the prisoner was disputing with another
ii.oy about a cap he had taken. Triplett took the cap from
the prisoner, who said he had no right to it. Triplett said
he had a right to it, and the prisoner took a knife from a
wooden horse and cut his right arm with it very severely.
He lost a good deal of blood. Ho never quarrelled with
the prisoner before.
The boy, who spoke English tolerably well, here said—
What you told me in morning. You say who is in the
galley (a ship's cookhouse), and you say the black cook
stealing the fat.
Triplett—Yes, I said that.

The Prisoner—You say that people dying in the East
Indies. You put them by the side of the river, and tide
comes up and floats them away. You shoved me.

Triplett admitted that he shoved the prisoner, and that
he fell over some wood.

Thomas Moore, a pauper inmate of the Stepney Union,
said the prisoner was singing, and the prosecutor told him
to desist. Instead of doing so the boy sung louder. The
prosecutor got up and struck tha prisoner. The prisoner
said "If you strike me again I will stab you." They sat
down and were quiet. Soon afterwards the prisoner com-
menced singing again. The prosecutor used very offensive
language towards him. The prisoner took up a chopper
and two knives and said he would use them, and that in
his country knives were used in self-defence. The prisoner
wanted a piece of food from Triplett, who took the boy's
cap and would not give it up. Ho left them struggling
together and called the master.

Mr. Parker, the master of the Stepney Union, who
seemed to take great interest in the boy, said he had been
sent to the house by the authorities of the Strangers'
Home for Asiatic Seamen in Limebouse, and had recently
arrived in England. The Guardians were in negotiation
with the India Board to send the boy back to the East
Indies. Triplett had been put forward as the scapegoat to
tease the boy about Suttees, the Indian mutiny, and the
disposal of the dead on the Ganges. He consulted the Board
of Guardians at their meeting, and they had directed this
prosecution. He told the boy it was a very dreadful and
wicked thing to use a knife, and he said in my country
they use a knife. He told him it was a case in which he
would meet with punishment. He was informed that
Triplett told the boy he had lost caste, which irritated
him very much. Triplett was semi-idiotic, and had twice
tried to strangle his wife, and once attempted suicide.
Mr. Partridge was obliged to the master for his in-
formation. Everything would be taken into consideration
in the prisoner's favour upon the trial. He then gave the
prisoner the usual caution, and asked for his defence.
Mr. Parker advised the prisoner not to say anything at
present.

Mr. Partridge said it was desirable ono of the lads
mentioned as having been present at the occurrence should
bo present at the sessions. He committed the prisoner for
trial.