The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-20 00:00:00

SACRILEGE IN A LONDON CHURCH.

Robert Dixon, beadle of St. Michael's Church,
Chester-square, was placed at the bar of the West-
minster Police-court, before Mr. Arnold, charged
with robbing the poor-box, under very peculiar
circumstances.

For a length of time past complaints have been
made by the occupiers of sittings and others attend-
ing St. Michael's Church of the losses sustained by
them in the sacred edifice. Not only have upwards
of 60 church services diappeared, but numberless
cloaks, umbrellas, gloves, handkerchiefs, pencil-
cases, scent-bottles, purses, and other miscellaneous
property belonging to the congregation have been
stolen, Sir George Grey and Sir Richard Mayne's
pews being broken open to get possession of their
books ; Smith, of the detective police, was instructed
by Sir Richard to take the matter in hand.
Sergeant Smith said that his attention was first
called to the case on the 15th of August, and from
inquiries made, he was led to suspect the prisoner.
Some marked money was placed in the poor-boxes
on two subsequent Sundays, and was shortly after-
wards stolen. On Saturday he marked other money
in the presence of Mr. Meats, one of the church-
wardens, and gave it to that gentleman to put in
one of the boxes which are placed inside the en-
trances to the church, and immediately after Divine
service on Sunday morning witness concealed him-
self in the gallery where he could, unobserved,
command a perfect view of the box. At
about ten minutes past two, the prisoner entered
by the north door, and having closed and bolted
it after him, shook a money-box at the north
entrance ; he next came into the body of the
church towards the vestry-room, and shook the
box at the south door. Having done that, he
proceeded to a cupboard, whence he took a chisel, a
hammer, a piece of thin wood, and a glue-pot, and
taking off his coat and hat, struck a lucifer match
and lighted a wax taper which he had with him.
He then returned to the box at the south entrance
and took some money from it.
The officer produced the box, and exhibited the
ingenious mode of operation practised by the pri-
soner to open it. The front of the box is orna-
mented and secured with scroll ironwork, which
underlaps the bottom ; the iron having been cut
across at about two inches up, can, by the with-
drawal of a small nail, be removed on one side, by
which means an interstice can be made
between the bottom and front of the box
large enough to admit a slip of wood a quarter of
an inch thick, and thus money in the bottom can
be swept out. The prisoner, having taken the
money in the mode described, applied the wax
taper to a portion of the iron work to warm it,
and then applying the glue brush, and hammer-
ing the bottom again tight, left the box as ap-
parently secure as before.
Witness resumed—Some of the money the pri-
soner placed in his pocket, and a sixpence, a four-
penny-piece, and three halfpence fell on the floor.
After the prisoner had fastened the bottom of
the box, witness quietly went from his hiding
place, and had got near the accused before he
saw him. Witness then inquired of him by
whose authority ho had opened the box, when
prisoner, who was very much startled, said he
was a fallen man, and implored God's assistance ;
he admitted his guilt, but begged hard that wit-
ness would not say anything about it. On search-
ing him witness found 3s. 24d., a portion of which
was marked.

Wm. Charles Miller, 259 B, proved that he was
engaged with Smith, and conveyed prisoner to the
station. On his way thither he said he had taken
money from the box on both Sunday week and Sun-
day fortnight. He had done it because, being out
of work, he had only £2O a year from his situation
at St. Michael's Church to live upon and support
his family.
Mr. William Clapham, Meats, 41, Chester-square,
proved putting the money into the box. Prisoner
had held his situation at the church 10 years.
Mr. Arnold, in reference to previous losses, asked
Mr. Meats whether he had ever had any conversa-
tion with the prisoner about them.
Mr. Meats replied that one Sunday a lady in-
formed him she had put half-a-sovereign into one
of the boxes, but it could not be found. Witness
mentioned the circumstance to the prisoner,
who merely said it was a very small coin, and might
have dropped down behind the box on the floor ;
that there must be some mistake about it. On
another occasion witness found that money which
should have been in the box was gone. Witness
was in the habit of going to the boxes every Sun-
day evening, and finding only some halfpence in
one of them, left them there, not thinking it worth
while to enter so small a sum in the vestry-book,
and when he next visited the box the halfpence
were gone.
Mr. Arnold inquired, for the purpose of law,
whose money it was prisoner had stolen on Sunday.
Mr. Meates replied that it came from his purse;
but once in the box, money was deemed belonging
to the church. The marked money was, however,
for detection of the offender, and not a usual 0E144-
ing to the poor.
Prisoner was remanded for a week.

THE LORD MAYOR'S SALARY.—The Lord Mayor
has an allowance of about £7,900. It is generally cited as
£B,OOO, but is barely so much: It is variable even to the
extent of £l,OOO a-year more oi:less, owing to a portion of it
being derived from dues on fruit. His household at the
Mansion House consists of 20 gentlemen, and he has a good
retinue of servants; he has to provide his own horses, and
has to find a carriage and horses for the Lady Mayoress.
The expenses of the Mayoralty usually weed's the-allow-
=co by about £5,000.—City Press.

RAIL w.

GENCI''

SOUTH WALES RAILWAY.
submitted to-morrow :—" The directors are 31;
able to report that the arbitration as to the allow'
able following is the report of the directors to be
Company for the supply of rolling stock
award
ances to be made to the Great Western RailwaaYt
length been brought to a close, and that th.e.a
the
of Captain Galton, the umpire
Board of Trade, has.been received. The charges
as far
for
for locomotive power and stock in the a
far as Vs"
appointed 117
the past half-year have been prepared as . has
Bible eh.--s
but as
sible in accordance with this award ;
only been received within the last few days it
.9,
unts with
not yet been possible to adjust the acco
and the
the Great Western Railway Company, . ea
charge of £49,262 ls. must therefore be consider
with the
as an estimate. The adjustment tobe made
applywith
Great Western Railway Company will also
r.
to the accounts for the three previous half:yeat,‘sr
The allowances for locomotive power form by for
the larger part of the rolling stock charges ;nger •
these Captain Galton bas awarded—for psse for
engines a sum of about 31d. per mile less, and cor-
goods engines about Id. per mile less than the
la
.tt • it sou
responding rates fixed by Sir W. Cubi •
f a report
to
be •
impossible within the compass o 11 be
state all the provisions of the award, but it will be
satisfactory to the shareholders to know that 1.2.1•
.v_
traffic will be worked at a less cost than under !1;c)
W. Cubitt's award. The directors think it du! t__,
Captain Galton to express their obligation toigce,
nuo
rifiee,
for the time and attention which, at much sae
se.
he has devoted to a most difficult subject. The ac'
counts for the last half-year show a total reveu_-
ed
from all sources of £460,062 7s. gd. as compared
with £184,235 19s. 7d. during the corresponal
period of the previous year. For the reasons alreanY
al cora-
stated it is impossible to institute a gener sr
parison between the expenses of the last half-Ye
1868 It
and those of the corresponding period of .
for
'ure
will, however, be seen that the expendi
tas corn,
maintenance amounted to £15,846 lls. 9a.,
pared with £14,271 13s. Bd., during the half-Yes;
"genetal
ending June 1858. Under the head of r, an
charges" there is a saving of about 'the£loou, "ejit
in other respects the charges for 2,.
halt-year present but little alteration when %ear'''.
pared with those of the corresponding h,aneen
The proprietors are aware that a charge o",eif.
made against revenue during the last four puss
years, on account of the expenditure Wiliellf the
been incurred in the renewal of a portion 0
line to the west of Swansea. A sum of aunt
£15,000 still remains to the debit of this (10_0.
and it was the intention of your directors to_e,,eoo
tinue to charge the revenue with a sum of P.vet"
-n the December half-year, and £3,000 in the 01
The
half-year, until this balance had been absorbed.
ol
directors of the Great Western Railway eel°, roe
have, however, objected to this course, anu. to
declined to allow the charge to be made 111
_re_
usual manner. Under these circumstances, tiae ~_
fore, your directors can only recommend yout 7
consider that a sum of not less than £3,00° out be
the balance of the half-year's revenue shols.„ of
set aside to meet this charge, and that eyedul" es
£48,840 3s. 4d. only should be consie,the
available for dividend. This sum will admit °' per
payment of a dividend after the rate of 2 6s.
ad.
cent. per annum, leaving £2,079 7s. 11d., i° iea
tion to the £3,000 before referred to, to b°
debenturecarried
forward to the next half-year. The hsTe
bonds falling due in the course of the half-year Tof
been renewed at a diminished rate of interest. i_t
rate at present payable on the debenture de.tuhes
the company is lower than that at which 1 er
stood at any former period. There has been or
pended on account of capital during the ale yet
£52,511 ss. 11d. In the last session of Parliareeb,
the Pembroke and Tenby Railway CoraPaill grail-
tamed an act authorising the construction of 0,1,4,
way from Tenby to Pembroke dock. The bill the
Carmarthen and Cardigan Railway CorapanY9l the
was alluded to in the last half-yearly report:ale of
directors, has been withdrawn, and the Vale of
Neath Railway Bill, which was also referred t°ooo
that report, has, with some modification, beceer
law. The extension of the branch line of this tom' is
pany at Swansea to the new decks at thaWt 11 the
intended to be opened simultaneously it been
docks on the 23d instant. The railway „ilas,.bear,
constructed by the trustees of Swansea Th,..ttweea
and a negotiation has been entered into between ,0 as
your directors and the trustees with a view l_tee..
arrangement for the use and working of the 6)1..0
sion railway by this company. The directors
notice in the advertisement convening the 312e.retion
of their intention to bring under the co sire
of the shareholders on this occasion, the adv'srar the
of affording encouragement and assistance i°etiee
establishment of steam communication in assistance
at-
with Milford Haven. Those who have °which
tempted it can hardly appreciate the diffieultY shiP
is experienced in the endeavour to insure steanimeet
owners to risk a large capital in the eats much
of communication with a new port. After ire
negotiation, the Joint Traffic Committee, T/11° oil
the management of the traffic of the railvi'sY4oeet
entered into arrangements for the establisoi be.
of a service which is now being perfornleureeat
tween Milford Haven and Cork. Ana rrang° sad
a similar kind b Milford gavenetere
Waterford has been inetween operation, as the Pr°,l):e not,
are aware, for a period of three years, and,,;:"thel3l,
therefore, without some experience to guo`' agree'
that the directors have entered into this ageeer
ment for this new service. The Joint Traffict with
mittee propose also to make an arrangereenrnsbip
thec Anglo Luso Brazilian Royal Mail Ste,..tr 0r-
.%
vice be'
for the establishment of a rout to
-ce between Milford Haven, Lisbon, _ andocean
steamers. Brazils,
by means of large and powerful ,e for
eamers. It is intended to make arrangeinnt_er•
through booking in connexion with these stesTor
between London, Liverpool, Manchester, Bird▪ the
ha m, and the great manufacturing toga° I,l:ef6e.
Ikingdom, but without any guarantee as t° "no its
n order, however, to assist the comp repo
" ese,
firstif starting, the Joint Traffic Committee pro1:000
required by the company, to make an 4.eid:flipo-
out of the funds at their disposal by waY o',:upolt
rary loan. This advance would only be ma'" gate-
sfecurity for its repayment being given to the ana
action of the directors, it would bear interest'stely
woulde
be repayable at stated periods. The., re'
is
.
lishment of these vessels at Milford gav" - of'
garded by the directors as of the utmost it
ante to the interests of the South wales -Bt.. of
Company, and they are of opinion that thel.sllll
opinion that the end to be attained is such rs cfbe
to justify the proposes. arrangements. ';:half'
proprietors will recollect that at they as," wed
Y elected r y maeeting, Mr. J. Orrell Lever, .',:' ou
director of the company. It 1' with
d wi
known that Mr. Lever is largely connecte were
the great •
led to shipping interests, and the director! el et
a consider whether in securing his servicei of
director,. they eould not also avail then3selvor
his influence and active co-operation in the este' I, ie
ment of steam communication at Milford liev,e,.gigeo
such a manner as to lead to the increas toehe '—ertf
and a permanent improvement of proP.,er
of the company. Having regard to the
securer
sonal exertions which will be necessary to
_Aeg
this end, the directors have agreed to the folloviiiiis
railway shall have so far increased as to 9"--401,
athe payment-of a dividend upon the ordinary ei.ill'efere
t the rate of 6 per cent. per annum on or
thehalf
expiration of three from the Tort re
years• to i
arl meeting, the directors hereby agre „et ox
commend to the proprietors to set apart a "ojetY
£20,000 out of the receipts from traffic ; o°„eriethert
of such sum to be paid to Mr. Lever, and 1" ion c's
moiety to such persons as shall, in the 011'1.1-strir
the directors and Mr. Lever, have been, itia 0
mental in the improvement of the
realised.'diYiuentoge-
The duty of carrying out this °nil' ate),
inent will devolve upon the joint traffic otrrtight
but the board of directors have thoughf„
_i'..o
that the proprietors should be informed oil"
'e
,1;0•'''

WRECK OF A PRUSSIAN BRIG OFF SOUTix IP-
SOUTHWOLD, Sept. 18.—Information was recenifivell
night at le o'clock from the officer of the Nilo:Leroy. shLuor:
coast-guard station, that a large Prussian brig.was of wio
near their watch-room, and asking for the assistans,tioe
Southwold lifeboat, which belongs to the Ro
Life-boat Institution, to save the lives of the or°"„'eedeti,
lunteer crew was immediately assembled, who 1°I;(1.- 30 1:1;'";
getting the lifeboat off through a heavy surf at -`3". havn
The wind had by this time considerably abateuitovuol
been blowing a gale of wind from the north-ea
by Iveseti
day, and had then veered round to the tort' ,esell
The wind, however, increased again before 00114
the vessel, and they found the surf and sea I.; etri-; brear,
where the vessel was lying, and making a eetaPie oneide-e
over her. The lifeboat behaved nobly, being for a c.,„, tits,
able time completely buried in the sea', and after sore des,
and great difficulty (having missed the vessel frora,tPbosrV
ness of the night in the first attempt), succeeded,,ll4o ea ;
ing her and saving the crew nine in number, and
safefja,
tain's wife, who was quite exhausted. They 'Ore
landed at Nisner Haven at one o'clock whene. 01,, oult
The character of the sea may be judged of it is Or
that the sea which struck the boat in landing kiloc",—corer,
second coxswain, who had charge of the lifeber,
board. He fortunately kept firm hold of the tiller,
succeeded in again getting on board. The vessel pi
_ote
be the Lueinde, of Memel, H. Robert BotchTtre,r;
al;
from Memel to Rochester, with sleepers.
sisted of ten, but one man was unfortunately drnifeeb°l
:attempting to' get on shore by a line before the
arrived.
.
ACCIDENTS THROUGH PRINTING IVIACITI4gI3eSsO'
Yesterday
.afternoon a frightful accident occurred Aver
Smiths printers, Long-acre, to a boy named
,• at
taa"
The unfortunate boy was engaged "laying on" as draWil
chine, when his arm caught in the cylinder and w__,d con'
into the mach,nery, He was promptly rescued tri 000;
veysd to Charing-cross Hospital, when it was feeatTatiglerl
nary shortly after his admission to amputate th .',r,c,te •
alsonrm .
occurredA nothe Another
oaccidentnamedof a soTmheosmvhaast
Lsioniwial,aerr2cniti.s
Isaarroi,
also being drawn into a machine at a printer's