The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-20 00:00:00

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

ATTEMPT TO MURDER A WlPE.—Francis Imberti, a tall
man of respectable appearance, an interpreter at the Hotel
de Provence, Leicester-square, was placed at the bar be-
fore Mr. Beadon, charged with attempting to murder his
wife, Louisa Imberti, a respectable-looking female.

Louisa Imberti, the wife, said she lived with the prisoner
at 3, Blue Cross-street, Leicester-square, and last night
about nine the prisoner came home, having been drinking,
and asked her for money, but seeing he had been drinking,
she refused to give him any. He then took a pair of razors
in a case from a drawer, threw her on the bed, held her
down, and swore ho would " mark her." She struggled
desperately with him, and he then struck her a violent blow
in tho eye, several others about different parts of the body,
and gave her such a severe kick in the private parts that
she could scarcely walk from the pain.. She then called for
help, and some of the lodgers and the police came to her
assistance. He was always very violent'when under the
influence of drink, and she was sorry to have to appear
against him.

Mr. Hazen, the landlord of the house, 3, Blue Cross-
street, said he heard screams of " murder" proceed from
the prisoner's room, and went for a constable, being afraid
to enter the room without one. The wife produced the
razor, and said the prisoner had attempted to murder her.
He saw marks of violence on the wife's face, and under-
stood she had marks on different parts of her person. The
room was in the greatest confusion, the bedstead being
broken and the other furniture also.

in answer to Mr. Beadon, the witness said they had only
lodged with him seven weeks, and this was the third oc-
currence of the sort. He fully expected in his passion that
ho would kill the woman.

Luke Jeffery, 49 C, said he heard cries of "police" and
"murder," and on going to tho house found the place as
described by the last witness. Tho prosecutrix gave the
prisoner into custody for attempting to murder her with a
razor. Ile dared him to enter the room, but seeing he was
resolved on doing so, and that a second constable had then
arrived, he went quietly to the station. He saw the mark
on the woman's eye, and she complained of having been
otherwise ill used.

The wife said ho had been at the court before for another
assault.

The prisoner's defence was that she would not give him
any money, and that she was too extravagant, and that she
.was not his wife.

Mr. Beadon said here was ♦iolence committed, and cries
of " Murder" having brought the whole of the people in the
house up to the prisoner's room. Tho woman has marks on
her face. She says you not only strike her about the face,
but on parts of her body that could not bo seen, in addition
to which you kick her on her private parts. You think
that by saying that she is not your wife that that will go in
mitigation, and that being so she has no remedy, but if
Ghat is even the case, she is more in your power, and must
be protected. Committed for two months, with hard labour.

THE WEATHER AND THE PARKS.

The frost which set in during the Last week so
severely still continues, to the delight of all skaters
who daily repair westward in crowds to the Parks,
and further induces a large concourse of spectators,
including a large proportion of ladies, to witness
their numerous feats and evolutions on the ice, many
of which are, no doubt, very graceful, while many
are also very ludicrous. Hard knocks and bruises
are of so frequent occurrence as to draw largely on
the sympathies of a spectator, if they were not re-
ceived as something current with a laugh and a
joke, which only adds to the general merriment.
OnSunday the numbers on the Serpentine and in
Regent's Park were great almost beyond precedent,
and several accidents occurred, as mentioned yes-
terday. About three o'clock in the afternoon a
casualty happened in the latter place, which, but
for the timely assistance, and through all necessary
precautions having been taken, would have led to
the most disastrous and fatal consequences. While
upwards of 60 people were gathered upon a portion
of ice, extending in the narrowest part of the water
a distance of upwards of 150 yards, from a bridge
to a small islet, all the extent of ice suddenly burst
and split into innumerable small pieces, leaving its
occupants grasping for support to its floating frag-
ments. The depth of water was from five to six
feet, and among the persons thus critically situated
were several women and children ; yet through the
exertions of the persons employed by the Royal
Humane Society, who, to guard against all contin-
gencies, had been doubled in number on Sunday, in
about three-quarters of an hour all were safely
landed. The scene during the occurrence was very
exciting.
Yesterday, about noon, after a very slight snow
shower, the sun burst through the frosty haze, and
gave a genial appearance to the weather. The
temperature rose to 35 deg. At this time
there might have been 5,000 persons on the
Serpentine, and large additional numbers enjoy-
ing a promenade on the bank. The ice during
the previous night had so increased in thick-
ness that little danger was expected, unless through
unduo crowding, and, so far as could be learnt,
very few immersions and no serious accidents oc-
curred during the day. The sport was kept up
with vigour until darkness set in.
At the Regent's Park the same scene was pre-
sented. About 2 o'clock there were upwards of
3,000 skaters at this place, and though about this
time snow showers set in, and continued at inter-
vals until dusk, the numbers were kept up. To-
wards evening the thermometer fell again below
the freezing point, and the wind went round to the
south, with appearances of a fall of snow.

The Serpentine, in Hyde Park, had about 6,000
sliders and skaters upon the ice during the day, and
no accident of any importance happened up to ten
o'clock at night, but even at that hour some hun-
dreds remained disporting themselves with lighted
flambeaux and lanterns in front of their dresses.
The "express train" was skated most scientifically,
and a new game was gone through from one end
of the ice to the bridge, in which the performers,
as they proceeded, sang "Sally come up, Sally go
down. The scene was grotesque in the extreme.
Another game played by torch-light was " Will o'
the Wisp," and the lights were in many instances
carried amongst the trees near the Receiving-house,
so as to deceive the skaters where to go.

The traffic on the South Coast Railway between
Brighton and Portsmouth was entirely suspended
all the forepart of yesterday in consequence of a
very severe fall of snow, which took place on Sun-
day night between Arundel and Chichester. It was
near the Ford station that the greatest depth was
met with, where it was a little over 4 feet ; and it
required the united exertions of about 100 of the
company's servants to free the up and down lines in
order to restore the communication between the sta-
tions mentioned, which was not effected till the
afternoon. The first up-train from Portsmouth was
due at Brighton at half-past 8 o'clock in the morn-
ing, and some anxiety was felt respecting its delay
till a telegraphic message from Arundel explained
the cause. Snow has fallen very thick at Worthing
and the neighbourhood, and can be plainly seen
from the cliff at Brighton ; but at the latter place,
where the cold has .been very severe during the
past few days, not a flake has descended.
Heavy looking clouds are flying over the town, and
accounts from almost every quarter around mention
that the ground is covered with snow.

2111 S DAYS MARKETS.

HAY MARKETS.

SMITIIPIELD.—Moadow hay, £2 lOs to £4 4s ; clover,
£3 lOs to £5 5s ; and straw, £1 4s to £1 lOs per load.
Supplies moderate; trade steady.

CIIMBERLAND.—Meadow hay, V 103 to £4 4s'; clover,
£3 10s to £5 5s ; :and straw, £1 5s to £1 102 per lead.
A slow demand.

WIHTECHAPEL.—Meadow hay, £2los to £4 4s; cloven,
£3 15s to £5 5s ; and straw, £1 4s to £1 lOs per load.
Trade dull.