The Sun.
London, England, 1859-11-24 00:00:00

WRECK OF THE ROYAL CHARTER.

LIVERPOOL, WEDNESDAY.
The investigation into the circumstances of the .
wreck of the Royal Charter was resumed yesterday
in St. George's Hall, Liverpool, before Mr. Mans-
field and Captain Harris, R.N.
Mr. O'Dowd appeared on behalf of the Board of
Trade, and Mr. Aspinall appeared for the owners
of the vessel, Messrs. Gibbs, Bright and Co.
Mr. Smith, receiver of wrecks, was recalled to
prove that certain depositions made by Mr. Brad-
bury were made before him. Mr. Bradbury was
third class passenger on board the Royal Charter,
and is now lying at Moelfre, suffering from a broken
leg, sustained in saving himself from the wreck.
The depositions were to the following effect :
The state of the barometer was entered during every
four hours, and during a change of weather, more
frequently. The last time he (Mr. Bradbury) wrote
up the captain's log was, he believed, on Saturday,
October 22. He was engaged on Monday posting,
up, and in writing abstracts of the log and passen-
ger lists for the Liverpool papers. The last entry
that was made of the barometer was at twelve at
midnight on Tuesday the 28th. He believed 28
and 29 were the figures. He did not hear any ob-
servation made by the captain on the 25th October,
as to the state of the weather. The officers of the
ship always registered the barometer. He believed
there were three barometers on board, one in the
captain's room, one in Mr. Stephens's, the chief
officer, and as to the other he could not say where
it hung.
Mr. Smith read a letter of instructions from the
Board of Trade to the lighthouse keepers for the
purpose of obtaining meteorological information.
The letter which I hold in my hand was addressed
to Mr. 'Morgan, the lighthouse keeper, at Moelfre.
I called on Mr. Morgan on Sunday morning. The
paper now handed me contains observations on
wind and weather. They are as follows :—On
October the 25th, at 9 p.m., the wind was S.E., a
strong breeze, dull and gloomy. At 10 p.m. a
fresh gale and rainy weather,wind from E.N.E. At
11 p.m., wind N.E., a heavy gale and rainy
weather. At 12 p.m. a heavy gale and rainy
weather. On October 26th, at 1 a.m. there was a
heavy gale with rain, wind N.E. 2 and 3 a.m., a
heavy gale and rainy weather. At 4 a.m. wind
N.E. until 1 p.m., then veered round to the north
and moderated. On the morning of the 25th of
October, at 9 a.m., the wind was S.E., with light
clear weather. At 3 p.m. the wind was S.E., strong,
dull, and hazy, the sky dull and gloomy all day.
A paper containing. observations was handed in,
on the state of the wind at Liverpool on the 25th
of October, taken by Mr. Hartnup, at the Liverpool
observatory. It was discovered, however that the
storm did not reach Liverpool until the afternoon
of the 26th.

Mr. Smith, re-examined by Mr. O'Dowd, said—
I have been at the wreck since my former exami-
nation last week. I went off for the purpose of
procuring some of the plates and rivets of the ship.
I had great difficulty in procuring them. If it had
not been for the assistance of Messrs. Gibbs, Bright,
and Co., I could not have succeeded in getting any.
It took four, boiler-makers three days to • get one
plate out.
By Mr. Aspinall—l never saw a ship, in my
mind, so strongly built ; for it was with the
greatest difficulty that we could stir some of the
rivets. I am not a ship-builder, but I have had
considerable experience in wrecked vesses, and I
speak from observation. The watches found on
various bodies were stopped from,2o minutes past
7, to 8 o'clock.
Mr. Mellor asked the liberty of the Court to put
a question to Mr. Smith, as to what course had
been adopted for the recovery of the bodies.
The Court ruled that the question was irrelevant
to that inquiry.
Mr. O'Dowd said he stated to Mr. Mellor very
distinctly that that was not a question for this in-
quiry. He was bound to do justice to Messrs.
Gibbs, Bright, and Co. They had already evidence
on this subject. Mr. Smith had been examined on
the subject, and he stated very distinctly that
everything had been done that could be expected
under the circumstances.
John Shepherd, being sworn, said—l am the
master of No. 4 pilot-boat. There are 12 pilot-
boats belonging to the dock board. No. 4 is a sloop-
built boat. She is registered 23 tons. We carry
a masthead light, and use the flash every 15 minutes.
There is-a crew of six always on board. I remem-
ber Tuesday the 25th. I was out on that day. We
were close in between Middlemouse and Puffin
Island the whole of the day and night. At about
seven o'clock in the afternoon it commenced to blow
very strong. It increased very much after eight
o'clock, with rain and lightning. At 11 p.m. the
weather was more violent than it had been all the
day and night. The mcn in the pilot boat could
not hear each other speak at the distance of
eight feet on the deck. We were in the water
all the time. The wind was to the N.E. The
boat's lights were put out. They were lighted
again and put out again. The foreign-going vessels
seldom come. into the port of Liverpool without a
pilot, if they can get one. We sounded a little be-
fore daylight, and there was 27 fathoms of water.
We' could not see the length of the boat, in conse-
quence of the drift. We saw Point Lynas, but we
lost it again. We then saw it again at 11 o'clock.
aVe had close-reefed sails. We lost the storm jib and
the stay foresail during the night, and the boat
drifted eight miles in consequence.
By Mr. Aspinall—l have been 39 years a pilot,
and 29 years a master pilot. I never knew such a
hurricane, the wind blowing from that point of the
compass, as on that night. On this coast it is more
usual for an easterly wind to back to south, rather
than the north. I never saw a heavier sea in my
lifetime. There could not be a worse shore for
breaking a vessel up than Moelfre.
By Captain Harris—At five p.m., I telegraphed
to Point Lynas to see whether there were any ves-
sels along the coast, but I got no answer. The

place where the Royal Charter is supposed to have
anchored is under ordinary circumstances tolerably
good anchoring ground, bat I think no anchor
would have held on such a night. MY boat was re-
ported to have been lost on that night.
Richard Perry, being sworn, said—l am master
of the life-boat No. 11. I was out on the 25th of
October. I was off Point Lynas at half-Past seven
o'clock on the evening of Tuesday, the 25th. Left
Holyhead at a quarter before three. The wind was
E.S.E.. At seven p.m. I saw what I thought was a
blue light from a vessel about four or miles west-
ward.. I did not see any rocket, but I believe there
was a rocket sent offbelow the Skerries, about half-
past six p.m. This was reported to me by one of the
men. The Royal Charter might have been seven
or eight miles from Point Lynas. The wind was
blowing hard at seven o'clock. They had all their
reefs in. At half-past five o'clock it began to blow
hard, increasing as it backed to the north. We
lost sight of Point Lynas about eight 3 o'clock, and
did not see anything till about 11 o'clock next day.
I agree with Mr. Shepherd as to the violence of the
storm. •
By Mr. Aspinall—Easterly gales more usually
back to the southward. Of late years they have
sometimes backed to the north. No place could be
worse for breaking up a ship than the shore where
the Royal Charter struck upon. No person could
have any idea of the violence of the storm unless
they had been out in it.
By Cept. Harris—lf we had had the good luck
to have fallen in with the Royal Charter we could
not have boarded her in consequence of the violence
of the storm. At 6 p.m. the barometer had fallen
' to 29. It was low all day. Between midnight
and 4 o'clock in the morning of the 26th it reached
28.70. I did not notice the thermometer. We lost
seven or eight miles the night of the storm.
Mr. Aspinall said Mr. Patterson was present to
be examined, if Mr. O'Dowd chose to examine him,
as to the strength of the vessel.
Mr. O'llowd said he would prefer asking Mr.
Patterson a few questions nearer the close of the
inquiry. He conceived that he had established a
prima facie case, which probably Mr. Aspinall
would meet by an examination of witnesses. He
had evidence now that the ship was lost, and that
she broke up in a v?ry complete and sudden manner,
and he (Mr. OThwd) apprehended it would be for
Mr..Aspinall to show that this did not arise from
any apparent weakness or want of strength in the
'Vessel
It was then agreed to call Mr. Patterson, and he
was examined-by Capt. Harris.
Mr. 'William Patterson—l am a shipbuilder,
both of wooden and iron vessels. The Roy a 1
Charter was built in April, 1853. The ship
was
contracted for by Messrs. Charles Moore and Co
for Mr. George Crain, of Chester. 'Messrs. Gibbs,
Bright, and Co. purchased 'the ship, and I be.
same iuspecter for them. I carry on business in
Bristol. She, was cornmc need, and I took her when
Messrs. Gibbs, Bright, and Co. bought her. Her
framework was then up. She W.IS, subsequent to
her commeitecznent, altered to an auxiliary screw
vessel. This alt aration had tgkcn place before I went
to inspect her. After the shim had advanced nearly
into fi 17110, wit li the exception of her stern-post,
C-ain fo lied. Then the greater portion of the
iron was 011 tluepremises. I then took to her, and
prior to that. man from Bris-
tol my own fore.
tel to look p artieu:arly to the iron and the rivetting.
As the ship :)rogressed we were very particular in
looking to see' that all the iron and rivets were par-
ticularly good. Lloyd's rules with reference to iron
ships were riot t' hen in existence. The plates by the
keel were max i ich thick, and the plates to these
were 3ths if al r inch and iths of an inch above the
turn of the •We ige. The plates at both ends were
1-16th of a neb less. The two plates opposite
each tier of; t,) ams were ithe of an inch, extending

MURDER IN WILTSHIRE.

late was divided very clean. The saw was produced
in court—it was a large handsaw, to which human
hair and blood adhered. There was no blood on the
blade of the razor. Mr. root was of opinion that
death had not taken place more than two or three
hours before he was called in—in fact, the body was
not quite cold. The outer door of the cottage was
splashed with blood, showing that at the time of
the murder the door was open ; the splashes pro-
ceeded from below and went upwards. There were
large quantities of blood extending several yards
from the door, and it appeared probable that the
injuries were perpetrated close to the door, and that j

the body was dragged to the place where it was dis-

covered before life was quits extinct, as the poor
woman was found with her head leaning against
the wall and her arm resting upon a chair. After

the murder the police were immediately on the alert.
Superintendent Harris, of Hindon ; Pilbeam, of
Lyndhurst • Matthews, of Salisbury • Baynton, of

Winbarne ; Hare, of Shaftesbury ; \Vatts, of Bland-

ford CBrown, of Dorchester ; and Eales, of Ware-

the murdered woman,
.....-5ma1ry.N.....M...........w.................i....
250 feet. The keel was 121 n. by lin.
'• The rive lam not Trowbridge; the husband of
cts in the subsequently proceeded to Lyndhurst in the N
' ' freak Forest, where the magistrates were tin pettyiseews-
sions and Trowbridge there identified as his pro-
quite clear that it was not 4-4-aa.
keel were 12,Tin. The rivets from the larboard 6 .
.., ,
penrty, . hat, coat, boots, leggings,
to the turn of the bilge were lin. The plates a. ‘•
fo_ act in the prisoners possession. The coat was
' the
.one, which Trowbridge had had presented
and umbrella
butts were all double rivetted. The frames 18in.
,v the Sturminster Agricultural Society
from centre to centre. The frame iron was sin. by
visible on the prisoner's clothes, which
of the beams had angular iron rivetted on, 3in. by were forwarded to Mr.
Herapath, the analytical
:in. by 11,in. The second tier of beams was 9in. chemist, for examination. Blood was found on
by Zths, with angular iron rivetted on the upper Manzano's trousers, which lie was wearing over
edge 3in. by 3in. by ;in. The upper tier of beams those which had been stolen, and on his shirt,
wc.-:a Bin. by 9 16ths, and angular iron rivetted on which appeared to have been partly washed ;
the upper edge, 3in. by 3in. by -I,ln. On the upper and there was a recently inflicted waund on the
tier of beams there were two plates extending fore middle finger of the man's right hand. During
and aft to the top of the beams, rivetted down to the prisoner's journey through the New Forest he
the edge. There were shelves at the ends of the called at a public-house kept by Richard Martin,
beams rivetted to she beams, with vertical plate at Fawley, and there sold the blue coat for
next, with an angular :ron rivetted to the horizon- 7s. He had first requested to be served with 3d,
tal plate, and rivetted through both ; each tier of worth of bread.
beams was so secured. The upper tier was secured Mr. Herapath, in his report, stated that there
by diagonal plates. There were plates rivetted to were on the trousers which he had inspected 12
each stringer and upon each beam. On each deck distinct spots of blood, which had spurted upon the
strong breakwater way-pieces 14in. or lbin. square garment and had not been allowed to coagulate.
were bolted to the shelf-pieces and to the beams. Mr. Chitty said, from the explanation of the pri-
There were six standing bulkheads, and five of them Boner, interpreted to him by Mr. Steel, he believed
were water-tight. hey were made of kin. iron. At that if his client were remanded he should be able
the afterpart of the engine there was a passage lead- to remove the suspicion from the prisoner to an-
ing into the screw tunnel. There was no door of open other person.
archway. There was another watertight bulkhead The reporters were compelled to leave Hindon in
immediately at the forestay of the stopping-box. time for the train via Salisbury shortly before the
This was further secured by a water-tight deck over proceedings terminated, but it was understood that
it. These bulkheas were placed in the ship after she the prisoner would be fully committed for trial at
was designed for a screw. They were rivetted to the the next Wiltshire assizes.
floor with angular iron. The ship was lengthened Captain Meredith, the chief constable of Wilt-
at the two ends. The work was well done, and more shire, was in attendance to superintend the prosecu-
money was paid for it than I have ever known given tion. M. Gonzalez Ferrer arrived at ' four o'clock
before. I have seen her in dock after her voyages,- with credentials from Sir R. Mayne, having been
and there was not a rivet found loose. The iron was directed by Sir G. Cornewall Lewis, the Secretary
good. of State, to proceed to Hindon and interpret the
The Court had not adjourned when our parcel evidence adduced in the case.
was despatched.

Yesterday Serafin Manzano, a Spaniard, was
brought before Mr. Graves and a full bench of ma-
gistrates at the Hindon Petty Sessions, charged on
suspicion of being the murderer of Anastasia Trow-
bridge, the wife of George Trowbridge, at Ashcombe-
wood, in the parish of Tollard Royal, Wiltshire, on
Thursday, the 3d inst. The prisoner is rather over
5 feet 7 inches in height, of slender build, with a
dark complexion, and exhibiting a peculiar expres-
sion of cunning in his countenance. He declares
himself, in imperfect English, to be a Spaniard;
that he has served for some years in the army of
the Queen of Spain ' • that he has been travelling
for some months in Wales ; and that be obtained
the clothes found upon him of a Pole, who had just
come from Boulogne.
Mr. George Chitty, solicitor,pf Cann, near Shaf-
tesbury, appeared to watch the case on behalf of
the prisoner.
A letter received from the Home Secretary an-
nounced that an interpreter would arrive on behalf
of the procecution at 11 o'clock, but, as he did not
make his appearance, the proceedings were deferred
until nearly 2 o'clock. Mr. W. R. Steel, from the
Spanish Consulate-General in London, was then
sworn as interpreter.
The voluminous evidence adduced was in detail
to the following effect :
The prisoner was observed loitering about the
locality in which the murder was committed some
days previous to the commission of the dreadful
crime. Alice Stingimore, the wife of Wm. Stingi-
more, of Alvedistone, was accosted by bim at half-
past 10 o'clock on the Sunday morning before the
murder; her little boy and daughter could not
understand him, and when she went to the door he
asked in broken English for a " bit of bread." He
had with him a little bundle, which was tied up in
a dirty blue cloth. Mr. James Stracey, bailiff to
Lord Rivers at Rushmore-lodge, saw him on
Monday morning, the 31st of Octobear, wearing
a " wide-awake" hat,. On the same day Caroline
Parsons, the wife of an under-keeper in the
employ of Mr. Grove, of Ashcombe-house, was
asked by him for relief. Oa Tuesday morning,
the Ist November, the prisoner was seen by George
Kelly, John Bugden, and John Abbot, residing in
the neighbourhood of Berwick-St.-John. On each
occasion he carried a bundle in a blue wrapper.
Nothing appears to have been seen of him on 'Wed-
nesday, the day prior to the murder. Next day,
Thursday, the 3d inst., Samuel and George Bench,
father and son, observed a man answering to the
description of anzano, still with the bundle in his
hand, about 300 yards from the cottage occupied by
Trowbridge ; he wore a " Jim Crow " or " wide-
awake" hat_ Tho mttage is in .a louely atd SeqUeS-
tered situation, on the borders of Dorsetshirc.‘, but
just within the county of 'Wilts. On the morning
of Thursday Trowbridge breakfasted with his wife,
and at 7 o'clock proceeded to his work, half a mile
distant. At 1 o'clock he returned to dinner ; be
found the door apparently fastened, and on looking
through the window he saw his wife lying on the
floor, in the midst of a pool of blood, with her head
shockingly mutilated and resting against the wall.
He gave an alarm, and Mrs. Parsons, a neighbour,
was attracted to the spot. Entrance was gained
by means of the back window, and on Trowbridge
lifting up his wife he found that many dreadful
wounds had been inflicted upon her face and head,
and that ".her mouth was all in pieces." The handle
of a razor was found near the threshold, and the
blade near the front door. A saw was also picked
up in the room. A large box by the side of the
bed in the upstairs room had been broken open, and
a great many articles were strewed about the room.
There was no blood in the upstairs room. Trow-
bridge discovered that two coats, three waistcoats,
a pair of leggings, a pair of boots, and an umbrella
had been stolen. Some of the articles had been
taken off the bed and others out of the box.
Mr. Foot, surgeon, of Ludwell, was called in,
and subsequelatly Dr. Richard Shittie, of Cann,
Shaftesbury, was requested by the police autho-
rities to inspect the mutilated body. The prin-
cipal injuries appeared to have been inflicted
with the saw, which has an uniform thickness—
rather sharp—throughout ; and they led to the
supposition that the unfortunate woman had been
knocked down and rendered insensible, and that
the death wounds were then inflicted. Some
of the teeth were completely knocked out ; the bones
of the face were broken as though they had been
beaten in ; there were three cuts on the left side of
the face, and four or five on the right side. The
cranium was cut through, by the saw, and the dread-
ful wound extended down into the mouth. The
brain was smashed up into one mass, and the marks
of the teeth had penetrated the cranium through
the interior table of the skull. The only wound
which appeared to have been inflicted by the razor
was a cut on one of the knuckles, where the carti

POLICE INTELLIGENCE, Nov. 23.

MANSION-HOUSE.—Thomas Brooks, 21, was
brought up for further examination upon a charge
of having, on the 15th of October last, forged and
uttered a request for the delivery of a check-book
at the London Joint-stock Bank, Prince's-street,
purporting to be signed by Mr. 11. C. Groom,
merchant, of Lime-street.
It had been previmisly deposed that the prisoner,
when on his way to the police-station after his ap-
prehension, threw his hat out of a cab window, and
that upon the hat being picked up the check-book
was found inside, with 23 of its original number of
checks cut cut. The prisoner was remanded in
order to give time to trace these checks, which, it
was stated, had been made the basis of as many
forgeries.
Mr. Clarke (Clarke and Morice) now appeared for
the prosecution, and called additional witnesses.
Mr. H. C. Groom, of 9, Lime-street, insurance-
agent, said,—The prisoner was with mess clerk for
about two years, and left me about four years
since. When he was with me I had an account at
the London Joint-stock Bank, and he knew it.

The paper produced. (the request for the deli-
very of a check-book) was not written or signed by
me, nor was it written by my authority,
Prisoner—l wish to ask whether Mr. Groom
thinks that is my writing ?
Witness—l can't say. It is very unlike the style
you adopted when you were in my employ.
Mr. Thomas Barton, advertising agent, 2, Upper
Wellington-street, Strand—l know the prisoner,
who was in my employ for,some time up to about
18 months ago. I have seen him write frequently,
and I believe the request produced to be in his hand-
writing, as well aethe cheque now produced for £5
Bs., dated November 1, purporting to be signed by
J. T. Sarson and Son, and payable to Messrs. Moses
and Son, or bearer, I also believe the two other
documents produced to be in his handwriting. (The
first of these was an order for some clothes, purport-
ing to be signed by Messrs. Sarson and Son, and the
second was a note enclosing a cheque in payment.)
Prisoner—l should like to know how long Mr.
Barton thinks it is since I left his service.

Witness—l can't exactly remember; but I know
I had a good deal of trouble in prosecuting you for
an offence precisely similar to this, and for which
you were sentenced to twelve months' imprison-
ment.

Samuel Moss, assistant to Messrs. Moses and
Sons, tailors, of Oxford-street, identified the pri-
soner as having presented himself at Messrs Moses's
establishment with an order for clothes purporting
to be signed by Messrs. Sarson and Son, and added
that the porter who took home the clothes to the
address given by the prisoner brought back a
Cht:LECIG fur 5..t0 which.--rrna aftcr-rravah roturned
to Messrs. Moses as a forgery. It is the custom of
their house never to take cheques in such cases, and
the porter had no right to take it.
Joseph Bedborough, porter to Messrs. Moses, de-
posed that he carried the clothes spoken to by the
former witness to .1, Great Pulteney-street, where
he saw the prisoner, who took the clothes, and gave
him a cheque for. £5 Bs. in payment, purporting to
be signed by Messrs. Sarson and Son.
The prisoner, who had been busily employed in
taking notes, said he should like to hear the witness
state all that passed in conversation between them,
and, being told that he might ask any questions he
pleased to draw it out, proceeded to make a series
of minute inquiries, which, however, led to nothing.
Mr. Goodman (chief clerk) here read the note
given to this witness by the prisoner. It stated that
there was ls. Overpaidlay Messrs. Sarson on a for-
mer account, as Messrs. Moses would find upon re-
ferring to their books; and that therefore the
cheque for £5 Bs. would settle for the clothes, the
bill for which amoanted to £5 9s.

Mr. H. Sarson, vinegar manufacturer, City-road,
said—ln the course of the summer we give away, I
dare say, 1,000 of the cards produced (on the back
of one of which the order for clothes had been
written) to any one who comes for them. Ido not
keep an account at the London Joint-stock Bank,
and neither the cheque produced, nor the order for
clothes, nor the note which accompanied the cheque,
is in my handwriting. I know nothing about them
nor about the prisoner.
Mr. Hewitt, cashier at the London Joint-stock
Bank, said the cheque produced was one of those
which was cut out of the cheque-book given at the
bank in consequence of the forged order purporting
to be signed by Mr. Groom.
Mr. Clarke said there were numerous other
charges of the same kind against the prisoner; but,
as th present case had been so fully made out, he
thought it unnecessary to proceed with any of the
others.

The prisoner, who reserved his defence, was then
committed for trial.

GUILDHALL. Mr. James M'Kenzie, the
manager to Mr. Strode, gas engineer, of 3, Angel-
street and 16, St. Martin's-lc-grand, was charged
with causing the death of Alfred Howell, a youth
about 16 years of age, by the accidental discharge
of a pistol in a workshop on the premises in Angel-
street.

Mr. Humphreys, jan., of the firm of Humphreys,
Son, and Morgan, of Giltspur Chambers, Newgate-
street, attended on behalf of the accused, whose
mental agony evinced itself at every part of the
proceedings in which the result of the melancholy
accident was referred to.

Stephen Thomas Wentworth said—l am the
foreman in Mr. Strode's employ.
Mr. Martin (chief clerk)—Does any part of Mr.
Strode's business necessitate the use of firearms P
Witness—No, sir ; but Mr. Al'Kenzie had a
couple of patents for breech-loading guns. The re-
volver produced belongs to a friend of Mr. Maenzie.

Mr. Martin—At what time did the accident take
place ?

Witness—At about 10 minutes to 9 o'clock last
night. We were all three—that is, Mr. M'Kenzie,
the lad, and myself, in the workshop.
Mr. Martin—When was the revolver loaded ?

Witness—lt was loaded at the time Mr. M'Ken-
zie received it. It came in a box, which was
locked. We discharged all the five chambers, and
reloaded them singly.
Alderman. Ilumphery—Do you mean that you
discharged each chamber as you loaded them?
Witness—Yes, sir, excepting the last two, which
we intend:3J firing against a double-barrelled pistol.
We were merely going to test the penetration of
the bullet. Mr. Maenzie discharged one barrel of
the pistol, and I discharged one of the chambers of
the revolver, and then told him to fire his second
barrel ; but he said "No, give me your pistol and
you shoot from this," meaning the small double-
barrelled. pistol. We then went up to the target.
to examine where my last shot had gone.
Alderman Irumphury—At what distance were
you tiring.;
Witness—At half-distance, which would be about
14 yards. I complained that the little pistol trig-
ger pulled very hard, and Mr. M'Kenzie said I had
made a mistake, as it pulled as easily as the revolver.
Alderman llumphery—llad he the revolver in
his hand at that time P

Witness—He had, sir ; and we were all standing
close together in fn it cf the target, and in showing
me how easily the revolver trigger worked he dis-
charged the remaining loaded chamber, and the
charge entered the chest of the lad Howell.
Mr. Martin—And I suppose killed him on the
spot ? _ _ _

- Witness—No, sir, he walked about 25 yards
afterwards.

Alderman Ilumphery—What did he say?
- - -

Witness—He nicrely exclaimed " Oli 1' and
placed his hand on his stomach. I walked with him

along the workshop, and, finding he was fainting;
I laid him on the floor, and ran for Dr. Neale.
Alderman Humphery—Has the body been ex-
amined, to ascertain if the bullet passed through ?
Wituesg—l believe not; but I think the bullet
is still in the body.

Mr. '.Silitin—ifad there been any be-
tween Mr. APTienzie and the lad ?
Witness—Not at all, sir. They have always
been on the most friendly terms.
Alderman Humphery—Are the lad's friends re-
spectable ?

Witness—Most respectable, sir, and they are in-
timate friends of Mr. M'Kenzie.,
Cross-examined by Mr. Ilumphreys—We have
patents for breech-loading guns. The lad was a
great favourite with Mr. M‘Konzie, who kept him
after working hours to teach him the working of
what he was about.

Arr. Irumphreys—Were you so standing that if
you had been a few inches more forward you would
have received the charge instead of the lad ?
Witness—l was, sir, for the bullet passed @lose
in front of me.

Mr. Humphreys—Then I need hardly ask you if
it was not pure accident ?
Witness—lt was perfectly accidental.
Alderman Humphery—!s Mr. M'Kenzie a mar-
ried man ?

Mr. Humphreys—Yes, sir, and lives on the pre-
mises. He is a most respectable man.
Alderman Humphery—lt is a very serious And
melancholy accident.
Mr. F. Thorn, assistant to Dr. Neale, of 175,
ltldersgate•street, said—l was called in to attend
the lad Hpwell, and I found him in Mr. Strode's
workshop. He was not then dead, but he was quite
insensible, and died within three minutes after.
Alderman Humphery—Where did the bullet en-
ter?

Witness—There is a bullet wound in the centre
of the chest, just over the stomach.
Alderman Humphery—Then I suppose it went
through the heart ?
Witness—l should think so.
Alderman Humphery—lt is a very unfortunate
occurrence, but I cannot do anything further in the
case until the coroner's inquest has been held. I
shall therefore adjourn the further hearing of the
case till Saturday.
Mr. INl‘Kenzie was allowed to put in bail.

B O W- S TREET.—DANGEROUS U.RCIIINS.—
Three little boys, named Joseph Irish, James Kel-
sey, and James Woollen, the two former ten years
each, and the latter twelve years of age, were
charged with stealing from Covent-garden-market
12 oz. of a poisonous drug, called belladonna, and
administering it •to divers other boys, whereby
their lives were endangered.
The case had excited a most painful interest, in
consequence of the large number of children who
had partaken of the poison, and many of whom were
now in a state more or less precarious. The court
was crowded with anxious spectators, not a few of
whom were parents or friends of some of the
sufferers.

Some time before the prisoners were placed at
the bar, Mr. M'Culloch, of the firm of Butler and.

M'Culloch, waited on Mr. Henry, to make a state-
ment of the facts, and to inquire whether he could
be held in any way responsible.
Mr. Henry should certainly think not. When
a person's property was stolen, he could hardly be
held accountable for the use made of it by the thief.
Upon the boys being placed at the bar,
William James Lewington, porter to Messrs.
Butler and M'Culloch, herbalists, seedsmen, &c.,
Covent-garden-market, was called. He deposed—
On Monday last I packed a hamper, containing two
jars of belladonna, to go into the country. The
belladonna is a sort of salve.

Mr. Henry —I suppose it was going to a chemist.
Witness—l do not know where it was going,
except that it was to some customer in the country.
It was packed with straw and rough paper between
the jars. Each jar was labelled " Belladonna—
poison," and was wrapped in a cover of brown
paper, and one of slate-coloured holland. The
hamper was secured with string, I left it outside
the shop, to go away by the carrier that evening.
That night I found the string cut, the double cover
of one jar cut open, and about 12 oz. of the bella-
donna gone. It.had been scraped out either with
the fingers, or with a knife. I suppose they thought
they had .got some honey, as we had been robbed
of some honey before.
Police-sergeant Felton, F 5, deposed—ln conse-
quence of information I received from the mother
of a boy now lying in Charing-cross Hospital, I
apprehended the three prisoners. There are now
two boys in Charing-cross Hospital, one of whom
is very dangerously ill. He has been in a raving
state ever since he was taken in last night. The last
I heard of him was that there was no hope of his
recovery. The other is getting better. They are
about the age of the prisoners. There is another
in. Middlesex Hospital. Several have been taken
away from the hospitals by their parents. About
17 or 13 have been suffering more or less from the
effects of the poison given them by the prisoners.
I apprehended Kelsey at the National School, in
Brokers'-alley. lie said, " I did take the stuff. A
boy named; Irish cut the hamper, and took out
some stuff from a jar, and gave it to me. We stole
a bottle from the same place, and put some of the
stuff in the bottle, with cold water from the pump
in the market (olPposite Butler and M'Culloch's
shop.) We thought it was Spanish liquorice. I
tasted it and it was sweet, but I thought it was
nasty, like poison, so I would not take any more."
He also said, Woollen, Irish, and two others, were
with him. Two of the boys who had taken the stuff
are here.

Sergeant Holmes, F 3—l took Kelsey to the hos-
pital to see one of the boys there, who was thought
likely to die. I considered that it might be impor-
tant that he should identify Kelsey. It appears,
however, that the boy was with them. He told me
he saw them taking the stuff from the jar, and he
said, " You shall not have it all," and snatched from
them a portion, which he ate. He is now deranged.
One of the two little boys spoken of by Felton
was now put forward by his mother, who desired to
have him sworn. From the vacant and bewildered
appearance of his countenance he seemed hardly
yet recovered from the effects of the belladonna.
Mr. henry—l do not think that boy is in a fit
state to be examined. He is not well yet.
Felton—No, sir, he is not.
Mr. Henry—He ought not to have been removed
from the hospital.
Holmes—We did not brim him here, sir. Both
these boys have come here with their parents, who
would insist on removing them from the hospital.
Mr. Henry—You had better send him back again.
The Boy—l was not with these boys. The middle
boy (Kelsey) asked me if I wanted some" Spanish."
I said " Yes," and he gave me some.
Mr. Henry—Did you drink much of it ?
The Boy—No, sir, only a very little.
Mr. Henry—He will get over it. But I shall not
allow him to be sworn at present. Now, Kelsey,
what do you say to this ? It is a very serious mat-
ter. You might have killed some of these boys.
Kelsey—We thought it was liquorish." It was
like jam. We made some " Spanish liquorish water"
with it, and so!(.1 it to the boys for a pin. I tasted
it and did not like it. so I was going to throw it
away, when a boy asked me to give him some for a
pin. I let him have some, and he drank a good lot.
Then he wanted sumo more for another pin, and I
would not let him have it; but he drank a lot more
in spite of me. Then another boy took it and said
it was " Spanish," and very good. So I had some
more.

Mr. Henry—You might have killed yourself, and
the others too.
Felton—These are three of the most notorious
little thief es in the market. Kelsey, lam ;afraid,
has had a bad example set him at home. You may,
remember, sir, that his father was formerly pier
roan at one of the boat piers. He disagreed with
his wife, and they were separated.
Mr. Henry—l remember the case.
Holmes—Kelsey's father Vas the man who was
killed in attempting to escape from the Great
Eastern at the time of the explosion. He threw
himself overboard to swim ashore. He had re-
peatedly saved th Q lives of other people from drown-
ing, as he was an excellent swimmer.
The mother of -Woollen here came forward, and
said she had had a great deal of trouble with her
son, who was a very bad boy. He was constantly
in the habit of, goinc, out to steal it the market.
She hand recently made 6 an applicatfon at this court
with a view to have him sent to a reformatory. She
was to have brought him before the magistrate on
Saturday, but lie ran away from home, and she
could not find him..
Mr. lltnry—l think the reformatory would be
the. beEt File° for them. all. They are just the boyS
fur Feltham, and as I understand there is room
thcre at plesent, I may probably send them there.
Have they been- convicted befor:;?
Fe,ton said they had not.
Ilohnes—But Kelsey has been remanded. He
was one of the feur boys who were charged some
time ago with stealing a donkey and cart from the
market. They drove about for several days, and
were at last taken at Highgate. They were
remanded for punishment, and then allowed to go

away.
Mr. Henry—l think the best plan will be to send
them all to Feltham. However, I shall not do that
now. I shall remand them till we see whether any
of the bays die, in which caso I must await the
result of the inquest.
The prisonei s accordingly stood remanded.

CLERKENIVELL—SIiniows CIIARGE AGAINST
A GOVERNMENT CLE,Itli.--Francis Freer, of the