The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-09 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE—March 6.

GUILDHALL—A TERPSICHOREAN ArritEN-
TlCE.—Frederiek Humphreys was summoned, as
an apprentice, for unlawfully absenting himself
from his work without his master's permission.

It appeared from the evidence of Mr. Bonnewell,
a wood type cutter and printer's joiner, that the de-
fendant, whose time of apprenticeship was nearly
out, had been brought four times before the magis-
trate for misconduct, and each time dismissed with
a caution ; but in the present instance it was shown
that he had absented himself from his master's em-
ployment for days together without any lawful
excuse, and Mr. Bonnewell stated he was bound by
the indentures to pay defendant 15s. per week, and
that if he (defendant) chose to work well he could
earn for his master as much as .-C2 2s. per week. He
did at one time arrange to pay him half his earn-
ings; but that arrangement had tho effect of de-
priving the magistrate of the power to punish de-
fendant for his misconduct, and he (the master)
therefore reduced the remuneration to the exact
amount named in the indentures.

The defendant complained that his master had
not taught the printer's joining business and the
art of drawing the letters on the wood, and added,
" he could not teach him, as it was not in him."
Alderman Hale said the indentures only referred
to the wood typo cutting.
Mr. Bonnewell said the fact was, there was
another branch of business which the defendant
found more profitable, and produced a card, by
which it appeared that he had announced a full
dress ball, to be given at the St. Agnes Hall, on
March 12, for his own benefit, in the name of " F.
Payne." To commence at eight o'clock in the even-
ing, and terminate at four in the morning.
Alderman Hale said if the defendant passed his
nights in figuring " on the light fantastic toe," he
could not be worth much for business in the day-
time. It was quite clear he had set his master at
defiance, and he must therefore teach him he could
not do so with impunity. At all events he would
take care that his patrons should not have the
pleasure of his company at the ball. He had the
power of committing the defendant to prison for
three months, with hard labour, but he thought
seven days would prove a sufficiently salutary les-
son to him, and he hoped he would profit by it.
The defendant was accordingly committed to
prison for seven days, with hard labour.

AMBETH,--ALLEGED POISONING IN WAL-
WORTIL—EXTRAORDINAItY CASE.—lnspector Dann
applied to the Hon, G. C. Norton for a warrant for
the apprehension of a retired farmer, residing in
the county of Kent, on a charge of having caused
the death of Mrs. Caroline Spain, aged 31, by ad-
ministering some narcotic poison to her.
Mr. Dann stated that from inquiries he had
made he learned that the deceased had been mar-
ried eight years ago to Mr. Joseph Spain, at pre-
sent and for some years an inmate of Bethlehem
Hospital, and that she has resided during the
absence of her husband at 6, Victoria-terrace, Royal-
road, Walworth, in apparent comfort, on the pro-
perty of her husband. On the day before, at about
one o'clock, the person named by the officer called
on her, and after some conversation she put on her
bonnet and both left the house together. At three
o'clock a cab drove up to the door, and from it Mrs.
Spain was carried into the house in a state of insen-
sibility, and placed on the sofa, and as soon as this
was done he said she had been ill in an omnibus,
and desired them to bathe her temples with some
vinegar, and said he had no doubt she would soon
recover. He then said he had not a moment to stop,
that he must hurry to Fenchureh-street, and that
if he missed the train he should have to walk 20
miles. The deceased not exhibiting any signs of
recovery, her niece, who lived with her, sent for