The Sun.
London, England, 1866-04-26 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENISG, APRIL 26, 1866.

ELECTION COMMITTEES.—This Day.

WAKEFIELD.

The case for the petitioner against the return of ➢lr. W.
Leatham (Liberal) having closed yesterday,
Mr. Giffard, Q.C., opened the case for the sitting mem-
ber. He said that after the statement made by the chair-
man, on the part of the committee, that bribery had been
proved to their satisfaction, he would not attempt to dis-
prove that fact. The learned counsel directed his argu-
ments entirely to establish the fact that there was no
complicity on the part of the sitting member with what
had been done by persons acting on his behalf.
Several witnesses were then called who, denied in the
most emphatic manner the statements of some of the most
material witnesses in support of the petition.
The proceedings are not likely to terminate until late
to-morrow.

The New Factory Act.

The Factory Inspectors report most favourably of
the first year's working of the Act of 1864, plac-
ing under the Factory Act regulations several manu-
factures which till then had been a law to themselves.
Some master potters, indeed, are desirous that "full
time" should begin at an earlier age than the Act
will allow ; but, says Mr. Baker, "I have seen so
many masters recant their objections to the Factory
Act system. There are some few who even in this
trade, in which art is everything, do not seem to
appreciate thoroughly the value of an educated class
of ertisans." Young hands may be scarce at pot-
tery wages ; coal and iron works compete more
and more for them every year ; but immigration
is taking place to some extent, and machinery is
likely to be adopted more rapidly than was an-
ticipated. The old system, with its reckless
expenditure of life and disregard of morals, will
give placeto a more extended and less costly method
of production. There is already a visible improve-
ment in workrooms. The Act has the effect of
making more regularity necessary. Mr. Campbell,
of the firm of Minto and Co., states that the qua-
lity of their ware has been improved ; they have less
spoilt ware since the greater regularity of work has
put a stop to hurried production. Masters find
that the men come earlier and lose less time, and as
much work is produced as before. Mr. Baker hopes
that we are on the eve of great sanitary improve-
ments in the Potteries. The workshops, in which
28,000 artisans are employed, have been white-
washed and cleansed, which in some instances have
not been done for 20 years ; the means of ventila-
tion have been greatly multiplied, the hours
of child labour have been diminished without
diminishing production ; 1,600 children, most
of them never at day school before, have
been placed in good schools, where they sit side by
side with children of the upper working classes
and of tradesmen ; and the effect is seen in the
altered tone of conversation in the workshop, in
greater tractability, more cleanliness, less preco-
ciousness, streets quieter at unseasonable hours, and
homes with more of domestic enjoyment. Masters
are stirred up to make improvements as the
workers become more respectable. Stoves are
being ventilated, and the heated chamber cut
off from the workshop, and this with a great
economy of fuel. So in the manufacture of
lucifer matches, of which such sad disclosures
were made, we are told of a firm who have the
dipping of the matches, the most unhealthy part of
the employment, done by machinery. Here again
some manufacturers complain of the limitation
of the hours of work and the consequent hindrance ;
but, as a sub-inspector says, " there's a certain
amount of work in a person, and when that's out
it's all he can do ;" and were it otherwise, children
should not be subjected to an amount of labour
which destroys their health and strength. Of the
percussion-cap manufacturers, one of the largest
manufacturers at Birmingham says that the cap-
fillers earn as good wages and do as much work as
before, and all are away at 6 p.m., instead of being
kept late at night from the desultory manner in
which the work used to be done. Ile observes a
great improvement. Paper-stainers also declare that
they find no decrease of production, and this with-
out additional hands being employed ; the work is
done with more energy than when the hours were
irregular and unrestricted. " The young folks are
not so wearied as with the former long hours, and
more work is produced in the same time." The
fustian cutters also with factory hours cut as much
as they were ever required to do ; " the hands stick
at work, knowing they will have to give over at a
certain hour." " The character of the trade is
raised." The prices of the work have been raised
greatly ; the earnings of a fustian cutter used to be
the earnings of a child, as child and man had the
same amount of daily labour ; but, under the new
Act, the child is forbidden to work until fully equal
to it, and the man earns a fair day's wages. Un-
fortunately the Act applies only to work for hire,
and parents may work their own children, therefore,
as long as they please ; young workers go home from
the factory when it closes, to be compelled to work for
their parents. But the result of the act is nothing but
a series of gains. It is true that children prohibited from
working full time in these manufactures may be, and
are, sent by their parents to other employments not
less injurious, where they may work full time ; but
Parliament will before long consider the condition
of these trades also. Three or four firms in Bir-
mingham, engaged in manufactures, reported upon
but not yet made the subject of legislation, have
already in anticipation of it begun to work Factory
Act hours. Mr. Baker gives the following as the
result of his long knowledge of factory life :—" Com-
merce seems to be glowing faster than the popula-
tion, and as the power of wages strengthens we may
be certain of what the result will be without the
controlling influence of education. My belief is
that factory labour may be as pure, and as excel-
lent, and as obedient as domestic labour, and per-
haps more so, where the master wills a discipline
and enforces it. I have known many such examples."

HORRIBLE TRAGEDY : SEVEN PERSONS MUR-
DERED.—A horrible butchery has been committed
on a farm near Philadelphia—the victims being a man,
named Christopher Dearing, his wife, his four children,
and his mice, a young woman about 25 years old. The
Philadelphia Ledger, of April 11, says:—" Yesterday a
friend of Mr. Dearing went to the house and found it fas-
tened up. He raised ono of the sashes and entered. No
ono was within, and while the interior was not entirely in
order it did not exhibit such unusual disorder as to create
suspicion of foul play. The barn and stable were then
visited, and in the former the foot of a man was seen
protruding from under a pile of hay. The hay was re-
moved, and not only was the murdered body of Mr. Dear-
ing uncovered, but that of his niece also. Both were in
full dross, he having even his gloves on, and both had their
heads nearly severed from their bodies. The pockets of his
pantaloons had been turned inside out, and his body
seemed to have been searched, as if for a money belt
They had doubtless been carried there and the hay piled
over them to prevent immediate discovery. The bodies of
the mother and children were found in a corn crib attached
to the barn, and all, as Mr. Dearing and niece were, with
their throats cut and their bodies concealed under a pile of
hay. The mother had, in addition, the top of her head
crushed in. One of the children was a mere babe, less
than two years old. The police found an axe which was
bloody, and which had evidently been used by the mur-
derer. The wounds upon some of the victims show that
the throats had been cut with an axe. A careful conside-
ration of all the facts and circumstances led to the conclu-
sion that the wife and children were murdered before the
husband and niece -got home. On what part of the pre-
mises the slaughter took place could not be determined.
Tho supposition was that all the victims had been carried
to the place where they were discovered. The disappear-
ance of the hired man and of the boy Cornelius led to
suspicion against them, and a reward has been offered for
their apprehension."

STEAM SHIPBUILDING IN FRANCE.—The largest
of the Transatlantic packet-boats built in France was
launched on Thursday last at the Chantier de Penhouet,
St.: Nazaire. This vessel is named the St. Laurent, and
having been originally intended for a paddle wheel steamer
has been lengthened, to provide space in the stern for a
screw propeller. She is the largest craft of her class ever
built in France, and will compare favourably with any of
the finest vessels of the Transatlantic or any other com-
Pdaepntyh's, 3110efte.t.8in.HeSrhleenigsthfittiesd h3wsi6tft. breadth, 43ft. bin. ;
a four-bladed screw
propeller of 19ft. diameter and 23ft pitch. The spar deck,
which occupies her whole length, gives her an appearance
of great height in the water, while it increases the internal
accommodations. The latter are calculated for a company
of 300 passengers. Since the establishment of the Trans-
atlantic Company's agency at St. Nazaire, and of the ship-
building yard of Mr. John Scot,, nearly four years ago,
the population of that town has increased from 8,000 to
20,000 inhabitants.

HORRIBLE ACClDENT.—Yesterday, Mr. C.
Clair Bedford, coroner for Westminster, held an inquest at
St. George's Hospital, on the body of Charles Congdon, a
painter, aged .33 years. James Collis, a painter, who had
been working at Lady Truro's, 83, Eaton-square, stated
that deceased, who had also been working there as a painter,
ascended a ladder with a pot of colour in his hand. He
was in excellent health and perfectly sober at the time, he
being generally a sober and steady man. He fell a depth
of 14 feet and was caught on the spiked of the area railings.
He stuck there firmly, and it required some force to lift
him off. One spike was driven deeply in the fleshy part
of the thigh. James Lintott, of Winchester-street, Pimlico,
joiner, said he found deceased lying upon the pavement,
and on asking him how he came to fall, he said he went up
the ladder, and having got to the top of the cornice his
foot slipped and he fell on a spike. Giffard Randsford,
house surgeon at St. George's Hospital, said deceased was
conscious when admitted. He had a large wound in his
back and an incised wound in the thigh. He suffered great
pain, sank gradually, and expired on Sunday, the 22d inst.
A verdict of " Accideatol death " vake returned.

THIRD EDITION.

SUN OFFICE, 7 o'CLocK.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE—This Day.

[BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.]

CHESTER RACES.—THISDAy.
HANDICAP PLATE of 50 sovs for three-year-olds and up-
wards ; winners 101 b extra. Five furlongs.
Professor Anderson ................................................ 1
Grapeshot ......................................................... 2

Pantaloon ............................................................ 3
Fivo ran.

Betting at starting-5 to '2 on Professor Anderson, sto
1 agst any others. Won by a head; bad third.
The DEE Cur of 50 sovs in specie, added to a handicap
sweepstakes of 5 sovs each ; winners 101 b extra. Nearly
a mile.

Mr. Barber's The Clowr, 5 yrs, Bst 21b
Mr. Law's Loughrea, 3 yrs, sst 91b
Betting at Starting-2 to lon The Clown. Won in a
canter.

HER MAJESTY'S PLATE of 100 gs ; three-year-olds, 7st Slb;
four, 9st 71b ; five, lOst 21b; six and aged, lOst 41b.
Three miles.

Selim

Honesty
Stanton

Wiseman
Betting at Starting-6 to 4 on Honesty, 3 to 1 agst
Wiseman, 6 to 1 agst Selim. Won by a length ; two
lengths between second and third.
The CESTRIAN HANDICAP of 5 sous each, with 100 added;
winners 101 b extra. Six furlongs.

Mr. C. Peck, jun.'s Exceller, 4 yrs, 7st 71b 1
Marquis of Hasting's King Hal, 3 yrs, 7st 61b (in 101 b ex) 2
Captain Williams's Distraction, 3 yrs, sst 71b 3
Mr. Heathcote's Skirmish, 4 yrs, 7st 81b 4
Betting at starting-7 to 4 agst Excellor, 3to 1 agst
Skirmish, 4to 1 agst King Hal. Won in a canter.
The DEE STAKES of 10 sovs each, with 200 added, for three-
year-olds ; colts, Bst 101 b ; fillies, Bst 61b ; certain win-

ners extra. One mile and a half.
Mr. Chaplin's Bertie 1
Mr. Saxon's Monitress
~ 2
Mr. Merry's Mirolla,
Won by a head ; bad third.
_ _

Betting-3 to 1 agst King Hal. Won by three lengths.
The MARQUIS OF WESTMINSTER'S PLATE of 5 sous each
with 100 added ; penalties and allowances. About one
mild and a quarter.
Captain Gray's Castanet, 3 yrs, Est 41b 1
Mr. Johnstone's Rococo, 3 yrs, Est 81b (inc. 101 b extra) 2
Mr. Johnstone's Holstein, 4 yrs, 7st .. 3
The following also ran :—Messmate, Aldcroft, and
Edgbaston.

Betting at Starting-5 to 2 agst Holstein, 3to 1 each
Castanet and Rococo, 4 to 1 agst Aldcroft.

The BEAUFORT BIENNIAL STAKES of 25 FOWL ORCh, with
100 added, for 2-yr-olds ; colts, Bst 101 b ; fillies and

geldings, Bst Gib; certain winners extra. Throe quarters

of a mils.
Mr. C. Peck, jun.'s, Manuella 1
Margnis of Hastings's Prodigal
Mr. Barber's Captain
Three ran. Won by a neck.

The ALL-AGED SELLING STAGES Of 5 sous each, with 30
added; 2-yr-olds, Bst4lb; three, lOst 111 b; four, lOst 121 b;
five and upwards, list ; m and g allowed 31b ; maiden
and selling allowances. Half a mile.

Northill w. o.

BETTING ON THE COURSE.
DERBY.
9to 4 agst Lord Lyon (taken)
sto 2 agst Rustic (taken)
100 to 6 agst Vaspasian

All Lord Bateman's horses and Mr. Wadlow's were
struck out of Chester engagements at 1.45 this day. Per-
suasion out of Cestrian Handicap at 11 20 last night.

SCRATCHINGS.

April 11, at 5.30 p.m. C. by Y. Melbourne, dam by Ted-
dington, out of Maid of Masham, out of 2,000 gs stakes.
April 14, at 5 p.m. All horses engaged in Mr.E.Egerton's
name, out of all engagements.

April 19, 11.55 a.m. Cambuscan and Esca, out of Great
Northern Handicap at York.

April 20, at 11.19 a.m. Lady Florence and Endsleigh,
out of Chester Cup.

April 21, at 1.25 p.m. Helen and Fan, out of Chester
engagements.

April 21, after 6 p.m. Prince Imperial, out of all engage-
ments.

April 23, at 9 a.m. Little Goy, The Buck, Pepper's
Ghost, and Hetty, out of all engagements.
April 23, at 9 a.m. Easby, Birkgill, Dunadry, and Maid
of Usk, out cf Chester engagements.
April 23, at 9 a.m. Mephistopheles, out of Epsom Derby.
April 23, at 11.15 a.m. Goojerat, out of Chester cup.
April 25, at 2 p.m. Mr. Pitt, out of Chester cup.
April 25, after 6 p.m. Quarantine, out of all events, ex-
cept the Harpenden handicap.