The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-03 00:00:00

THE 60N, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, MARCH 3, 1866.

MR. SOTHERN AND SPIRITUALISM.

Central Criminal Court.---This Day.
(Before the Deputy Recorder.)
This morning Mr. Benjamin Coleman appeared
in surrender of his:recognisances answer to an indict-
ment charging him with having written and circu-
lated a libel on Mr. Sothern, the celebrated comedian
of the Haymarket Theatre, in the Spiritual Maga-
zine. The libel, it will be recollected, made grave
imputations against Mr. Sothern's private character
as a gentleman and a married man, all of which he
said were utterly and entirely untrue. A full re-
port of the examination of the defendant appeared
in The Sun on the occasion of the inquiry at the
Mansion-House before the Lord Mayor, and there-
fore it is unnecessary to republish it on the present
occasion.

Mr. Sergeant Ballantine and Mr. Montague
Williams appeared for Mr. Sothern, and Mr. M.
Chambers, Q.C., and Mr. Lewis were for the de-
fendant.

The jury having been sworn,
Mr. M. Chambers, on the part of the defendant,
said he wished to plead guilty to the indictment,
and to make the most ample apology in his power
to Mr. Sothern for the pain the publication of it
had caused him. He, on the part of Mr. Coleman,
said he had no desire to extenuate one word of it.
The libel, it would be recollected, was contained
in an article in the February number of the
Spiritual Magazine, the subject of which was
the truth or falsehood of spiritualism, and Mr.
Sothern's opinion of it. The article in question was
in the first instance extracted from a New York
newspaper, but Mr. Coleman had introduced into
the article a letter written from America, and had
also commented upon a letter which Mr. Sothern
had addressed to a Glasgow newspaper with respect
to the matter in question. He entirely exonerated
that gentleman from the charges made against him
in the letter from New York, and he begged to
assure the Court that the defendant had no
hand in either concocting or sending that
letter from America. If the trial had been
put off for a short time he should have been
able to prove to the satisfaction of the Court that
such was the case, but as that course could not be
adopted the Court would have to look at the libel
and all the circumstances under which it was pub-
lished. Mr. Sothern and Mr. Addison had exhi-
bited at Scarborough certain performances to
show—

Sergeant Ballantine said he should object to any
further statements in the matter. Whatever Mr.
Sothern had exhibited was no reason for imputing
to him a crime of the most unjustifiable description.
There was no truth whatever in the assertion that
Mr. Sothern had ever exhibited, as his learned
friend was about to state. He had done no more
than any private gentleman was entitled to do in
his own house--viz., to illustrate his belief in the
entire absurdity of spiritual manifestations. He
should object to the introduction of such matter to
justify the libel complained of.
_ _

Mr. Chambers said he knew nothing of the doc-
trines of spiritualism, but as far as Mr. Coleman
was concerned he knew that he was under the im-
pression that the phenomenon was attributable to
other than ordinary causes. Whether his faith was
well or ill founded he was not going to say, but Mr.
Sothern wrote to one of the Glasgow papers stating
that he had discovered the deception practised by
the Devonport Brothers, and that communication
begat observations in the Spiritual Magazine,
which ended in the long article complained of. Mr.
Coleman inadvertently, as he (Mr. Coleman)
thought, wrote a letter stating that he was prepared
to prove all that was published. In preparing the
article for publication Mr. Coleman had,
unfortunately for himself, been labouring under the
impression that by omitting certain portions of the
letter from America, and substituting in its place a
number of asterisks, he had removed all ground of
libel—that it had removed the sting from the asser-
tions ; but that was not the case. In the letter that
Mr. Coleman had written he had unfortunately not
really expressed what he intended to say ; he did
not mean to say that-he should be able to justify all
that had been published on the matter, but all that
he, being a believer, had written, and this fact only
tended to make—

The Deputy-Recorder asked if Mr. Sothern's
letter in the Glasgow newspaper made any personal
imputations against those who practised spiritualism.
Mr. Sergeant Ballantine said there was no impu-
tation against Mr. Coleman, and the letter of Mr.
Sothern was only an answer to the attacks that had
been made on him in the Spiritual Magazine.

Mr. Chambers—Mr. Sothern in his letter said he
could only look at spiritualists as idiots and swind-
lers, and also that the practice of spiritualism was a
fraud, an impudent chicanery, and a blasphemous
indecency. The court would here see the contro-
versy had got hot and strong—(laughter)—but he
would not pursue that matter further. The impu-
tations on Mr. Sothern's character he now, in the
fullest manner, withdrew. Mr. Coleman had no
hand in the publication of the advertisement that
had given Mr. Sothern so much uneasiness, and all
that his client intended to say when he wrote the
letter about justification was that be should be
prepared to justify all he (defendant) had written,
not all that had been published. Under those
circumstances, it was for the court to say whether
there should be a high or low sentence. There
were believers in the truth of spiritualism, and Mr.
Coleman was one of them, and it was only follow-
ing out that belief that Mr. Coleman had written
what he had. If there were any other way than he
had adopted of setting Mr. Sothern right with the
public, he, on the part of Mr. Coleman, would be
only too happy to adopt it.

Sergeant Ballantine said he was perfectly sensible
of the weight that ought to be attached to the
apology coming from a gentleman of the high
standing of his learned friend (Mr. Chambers) at
the bar. When he withdrew every
imputation
against Mr. Sothern, and said there was not one
word of truth in it, he had done all that a gentle-
man could do. He should not, therefore, say one
word in aggravation. The whole statement, how-
ever, which was a wicked and wanton falsehood,
had given Mrs. Sothern much pain, and that lady
was in court, ready to say that she was a happy
wife, having a good husband. It did not become
him to be hard on a fallen adversary, and Mr.
Sothern, as a kind-hearted and honourable gentle-
man, would not press hardly upon an erring fellow-
creature.

The Deputy Recorder, in passing sentence,
said that the defendant on his own con-
fession, had been convicted of a misdemeanor.
The libel was a very gross one, and was cal-
culated to inflict great pain upon a gentleman
placed as Mr. Sothern, 'who was a married man and
a public personage. There was no doubt that the
defendant published the libel, and the prosecutor
was entirely justified in taking the most active steps
the law allowed him to vindicate his character from
the aspersions cast upon it, because more than his
own happiness was concerned in the matter. The
defendant had overstepped the bounds of fair con-
troversy in what he had published, but Mr. Sothern
had kept within the limits of law in proving that,
which the defendant firmly believed, to be false.
He (the Deputy Recorder) did not say that spiri-
tualism was true or false— he rather believed it
was true, but he had not seen any of it.
(Laughter.) The defendant, in his part of the
controversy, had introduced a direct personal
slander ; therefore he had placed himself within
the reach of the law—he had, as had been said
by a very high authority, thrown away the arms
of a warrior and taken up those of an assassin.
It therefore became his duty to consider what punish-
ment, for such a proceeding, should be awarded.
He had done so. lie did not think it was likely
that Mr. Sothern would ever more hear of the
matter from the defendant, and therefore he thought
the retention of his recognisances was not required,
and he should inflict a penalty of £5O upon the
defendant for the use of her Majesty the Queen,
and order that he be imprisoned until the fine was
paid.

The court throughout the time the case was
under discussion was filled with members of the
theatrical profe2aion. Mr. Sothern, who occupied

a seat near Sergeant Ballantine, was surrounded by
friends, and the result of the case appeared to give
the fullest satisfaction.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

STABBING.-Emily Bullock, a young woman, was chat ged
before Mr. Knox with assaulting Mrs. Anna Tenuchi, of
n, Grafton-street, by cutting her on the head with a knife.
The prosecutrix said—The prisoner has been lodging
with me for some time. Yesterday evening, about half-
past 8, she came in while I was cooking something for
tea, and said, " Have you done my chop ?" and on my
saying 1 bad not, but would, she took up a knife from
the table and stabbed her once on the head and once in
the cheek, and then struck her on the shoulder with the
handle of the knife. I went to the Charing-cross Ho:pi-
tal to have my wound attended to, and on returning spoke
to a sergeant, who took the prisoner out of a beerhouse.
The prisoner—We had been drinking together all day.
Don't prosecute me.
The prosecutrix-1 don't want to hurt you, only I was
obliged to come here.

Agnes Tenuchi, a little girl, daughter of the prosecutrix,
said—l saw the prisoner take up the knife and stab my
mother twice, and then struck her on the back with the
handle of the knife.

Sergeant Leech, 14 C —ln consequence of what the pro-
socutrix told him he went to a beorhouso and took the pri-
soner into custody. On telling her she was charged with
stabbing the prosecutrix, she denied doing so, stating that
it was the landlord who had done it. Tne prisoner was
drunk, and always is drunk, and the prosecutrix and tho
prisoner are generally drunk together.
Mr. Knox—That is no reason why they should murder
each other.

The Prisoner—Did I not have a mark on my forehead
when you took me into custody?

Sergeant Leech--I did not see one.

Mr. Knox—l shall remand the prisoner, and you, Ser-
geant Leech, can make inquiries at the hospital to see if
any danger is likely to result from the prosecutrix's wounds.

AMERICA..

ARRIVAL OF THE BAVARIA.

SOUTHAMPTON, MARCH 3.

The Hamburg and American Company's steamer
Bavaria has arrived here with 119 passengers for
England, France, and Hamburg—a large cargo,
and $l,OOO in specie for the latter port. She sailed
from New York on the 17th ult., and experienced
strong head winds throughout her passage. The
Bavaria passed the steamer Fulton on the 24th ult.

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Mongolia arrived off the Needles at 3.5 a.m.

ARRIVAL OF THE PERUVIAN.
LIVERPOOL, MARCH 3.

The extra screw steamship Peruvian, Captain
Ballantine, from New York on the 17th ult., ar-
rived here this morning. Her news has been an-
ticipated.

ARRIVAL OF THE AUSTRALASIAN.

NEW' YORK, FEB. 21.

Money tighter. Gold, 134. Exchange on Lon-
don, 1481 ; on Paris, 380. Stocks tending down-
wards. New York Centrals, 911 ; Illinois, 114 ;
801 ; 5-20 Bonds, 1031. Cotton slightly
firmer. Middling Upland, 46. Flour dull. Wheat
quiet. Corn heavy. Provlions steady. Coffee
heavy. Sugar and molasses dull. Petroleum,
crude, 29 30 ; do. refined, 46 48.

SAVANNAH, FER. 17.

Cotton dull. Middling, 423- 43.

The President has vetoed the Freedman's Bureau
Bill, causing considerable Congressional and popu-,
lar excitement. The Senate failed to pass the Bill
over the President's veto.

The House of Representatives has adopted a
resolution from the reconstruction Committee that
no Southern members shall be admitted until Con-
gress pronounces them entitled to representation.

CHICAGO, ILL., Feb. 8, 1866.

Business is unusually brisk in Chicago. Not-
withstanding the strong prejudices existing against
the railroads in the people of the North-west, they
daily pour into the city vast freights, and their pas-
senger travel is great. Conventions have been
recently held at Pontiac, Pepin, Genesee, and
Ottawa, by the farmers of this State, for the pur-
pose of devising a means of resisting the encroach-
men+s of moneyed monopolies. Fifty miles from
Chicago it would take just four bushels of corn to
buy a single bushel of iron, and the freightage on the
produce of farmers is such that it exhausts all the
profit of the farmer. Wool is being raised in large
amounts, and affords a more remunerative occu-
pation.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
NEW You; Feb. 17, 186 G.

Many financiers in Europe have expressed surprise that
gold should continue at such a high premium as 38 per
cent. in New York since the war is fully over, the resources
of the country so immeasurable, and the credit of our
Government so good. As the price of gold regulates the
price of 5-20's and other American stocks in Europe, I will
try and solve the problem. Gold ere this would have been
down near par, had it not been for the bear speculators of
Wall-street, all of whom thought they could make fortunes
by operating for a fall of gold after the rebellion had been
crushed. But as all the gold in New York available for
speculative and commercial purposses is only about
$30,000,000, and the speculators have sold at least
$100,000,000, expecting to buy it back at a handsome
profit, the consequence is that gold has been greatly over-
sold, and the borrowers of the precious metal for the last
month have been compelled to pay from to per cent. a
day commission for the use of it to fulfil their contracts.
As long as this state of affairs continues, and as the stock
of gold in Wall-street is increasing but very little—all the
gold dust and bars received from California being shipped
weekly to Europe on freight—it is folly to expect gold to
depreciate in premium to any extent. On the contrary,
any hasty legislation of Congress relative to Mexico, or on
any other delicate foreign question, would instantly send
gold up again by frightening the speculators for a fall, who
would have to buy largely to fulfil their contracts. I
repeat, it is speculation alone that keeps gold at a premium
The finances of the country aro sound —the revenues con-
stantly increasing and no man doing a legitimate busi-
ness thinks of buying gold at any premium, as there is
unlimited confidence in the national currency. As soon as
the speculators get weary of their trade in gold, the pre-
mium will soon sink of its own weight in the neighbour-
hood of par. Old 5-20's, or those issued in 1862, are get-
ting very scarce here, and a few large orders from abroad
would send them to a very high figure. Of the 314 mil-
lions original issues it is estimated all aro hold in Europe,
except perhaps $10,000,000, and if the foreign demand
continues it will be impossible to supply it., for it is a sin-
gular [circumstance and shows how eccentric foreign
capitalists are—that they will not buy at any price, any
other description of our Government Bonds except the
5-20's of '62, though there are several other descriptions of
bonds that pay the same interest, and can be bought for
some two to three per cent. less, only they have 18 instead
of 16 years to run before the principal is paid. This ought
to be in their favour, but for somo unaccountable reason
foreigners will not touch them at all. But they will have
to buy them or get none of our bonds very soon, as the
old issues, as I have before remarked, are nearly ex-
hausted.

Money is freely offered on good securities at 5 and 6
per cent., but there is an uneasy feeling in money circles
pending the action of Congress relative to Secretary
M'Culloch's new bill for funding the currency, and lenders
are cautious. It is doubtful if Congress will authorise
the Secretary of the Treasury to borrow money in foreign
countries. Although a foreign loan would unquestion-
ably bring down the price of gold, still there are a good
many financiers who think our Government would do bet-
ter not to become directly indebted to any foreign country.
We have a large debt, but let us owe it to ourselves, and
then we shall be independent, is their mode of reasoning.
Tho following are the last two returns of the Now
York Banks :

Discounts. Specie. Circulation. Deposits.
8
Feb. 3, 242,510,382 10,937,474 21,4948,234 191,011,695
Feb. 10, 242,608,872 10,129,806 22,240,469 188,701,463
AMERICAN RAILROAD EARNINGS FOR
JANUARY.
1866 1865. Increase Decrease
Atlantic and Great
Western
Chicago and Rock
Island
Erie
Illinois ... 582,828 546,051 36,777
Michigan Cen-
tral
Michigan
Southern 314,598 363,996
IMPORTS AND EXPORTS.
The imports of merehandise at the port of New York
were, for the week ending Feb. 9, $6,582,700 ; and for the
week ending Feb. 2, $7,200,636 ; and since January Ist
$30,118,010. The exports from this port have been for the
week ending Feb. 9, $5,256,425, and since January 1,
$32,050,324.
The closing quotations this evening are—U.S. 5-20's,
1031; Eries, 81; New York Central, 901; Illinois Central,
1141; Gold, 1371. WALL STREET.