The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-21 00:00:00

.1-Z2E VOLUNTEER SilArl FIGHT.

As the period approaches for Lord Ranelagh's
proposed sham fight, near Brighton, on Easter
Monday, there appears to be a failing off on the
part of some Metropolitan volunteer regiments, and
the field 'day at Wimbledon will, no doubt, be a
much more imposing affair, so far as numbers are
concerned. The last secession from the Brighton
proposal has been that of the North Middlesex
Rifles; Viscount Enfield, M.P., as colonel, having
taken the sense of the effectives upon the subject
at a numerously attended parade, they decided in
favour of Wimbledon by an overwhelming majo-
rity, some thirty or forty hands only being
held up in favour of Brighton. As an equivalent
for not going to the sham fight, the 29th are,
it is understood, about to appeal to the lieutenant-
colonel, to permit them to have a march out to
Hampstead-heath on Good Friday afternoon for
skirmishing and light infantry drill, and blank
cartridge firing, as well as to march to Wimbledon
on Easter Monday. The North Middlesex will
also parade for inspection on Saturday afternoon
at Regent's Park Barracks at five p.m., and march
out, and on Sunday next they parade at -2 p.m. in
the inclosure of Mornington-crescent, to march
headed by the band to Christ Church, Maryle-
bone, when by the permission of the Rev. L. L.
Davis, the rector, the Rev. Wm. Williams, the
chaplain, will preach his inauguration sermon. `ll°-
day (Thursday) Lieutenant-Colonel Bigge intends
to take the sense of the 20th or Railway Rifles as
to going to Brighton or Wimbledon. Amongst
the regiments going to the latter on Easter Monday
it is stated are—the Hon. Artillery Company, the
Victoria Rifles, the North Middlesex, the Ist Mid-
dlesex Cavalry and Artillery, the 4th Middleseict
the City of London Brigade, the greater proportion
of the Queen's, the Civil Service, the London
Scottish, and, indeed, with the exception of the
South Middlesex (Lord Ranelagh's own regiment)►
most of the largest and important metropolitan
corps."

TILE NEW METROPOLITAN RAILWAYS'

The select committee on the North-London Rail-
way (Branch to the City) Bill (H.L.) report " that
the number of houses inhabited by the labouring
classes, and over which compulsory power is sought
by the bill, is 492 ; and the number of families,
averaging from four to five persons, is 1,023, or from
4,000 to 5,000 persons. That, to remedy as far as
possible the evil arising from so large a displace-
ment, the committee have inserted a clause pro-
viding that the railway company shall run a cheap
train, morning and evening, from the Liverpool-
street terminus to Kingsland, at such hours as
shall be convenient for the working class proceeding
to their new homes, and returning to their accus-
tomed daily labour ; and the committee have further
to report to the house that this displacement' 0',4
not be simultaneous, but will probably be spread
o7er a considerable period of time. The committee
have gone through the bill, and have directed the
same to be reported to their lordships with some
amendments.'

In the case of the Metropolitan Railway the
committee report that as only 22 houses occuplea
,
by the labouring classes will be removed they h°
not deem it necessary to make any special prOyl-
sion in the bill. The latter is the case also with
the West London Extension Railway Bill, and tlie
Edgware, Highgate, and London Railway 13111'
The Hammersmith, Paddington, and City Juno
tion Railway, the committee report, will afford '$
speedy communication to those of the labouring
classes who are employed in some of the densely'
populated parts of the metropolis, but whoso
residence is in the suburban districts with which
the railway communicates."
The select committee of the Lords on the Charing'
cross and City Terminus Bill, report as the result
of their inquiry, that the number of houses °colt
pied by the labouring classes, and over
compulsory power is sought by the bill, is 82; but
it _:
having been proved that only seven house"
would be removed, in two of which several roovas
were unoccupied, and that the number of persons
to be displaced amounted only to forty, the CO°
mittee did not deem it necessary to make 00,7,
special provision in the bill in reference thereto.

INQUEST ON A CRIMINAL LUNATIC•

-
Yesterday afternoon Mr. Sergeant Payne, tie
coroner for the city of London and Southwark
held an inquest at Bethlehem Hospital, on the body
of Mary Ann Brough, a criminal lunatic, who Was
acquitted on the ground of insanity on a charge,%
murdering six of her children at Esher, in tie
month of June, 1854, and removed to this establish'
went under a warrant from the Crown in AugusD
of the same year.
1)r. William Charles Hood said—l am doctor of
medicine and physician cf Bethlehem Hospital;
The deceased was brought in here on the 25th 0;
August, 1854. She was tried at Guildford
in the previous July, before the Chief Baron Pol-
lock and Mr. Justice Erle, on a charge of murdering,
her six children, and acquitted on the ground
of insanity. She was sent here under a warrant
from the Queen. Her name was Mary Ann
Brough, a married woman, and her age on her
admission was stated to be 43 years. Her beet)!
was apparently very good for a short time, buv
afterwards she showed peculiar symptoms of n 161;
tal derangement, which made me believe that
organic disease was going on in the brain and had
been so for some time. She went on very NY,ei
:
until the 19th of November, 1856, and on that aiN,
she had a paralytic attack affecting her left sil!.
That attack however gave way to some extent 1°
medical treatment, but on the 4th of December, 18'57
she had another attack of apoplexy, folloWe'
by paralysis, chiefly affecting the mouth and
tongue. Ori September 27, 1859, she had another
attack, which affected her legs, and she almost lost
the use of them, and her mind became much wealce,,,f
after this third attack. On January 30, 1861, Al;
had another slight paralytic attack, and very e°°rt
after she became so weak that she was unable to s'
up, and a water bed was provided for her. She re;
mained in that condition until the 17th inst., whil
she lost all consciousness, gradually and rapidly
sunk, and died on the evening of the 18th.
The Coroner—What was the cause of her death'
and how should it be properly registered ?
Dr. Hood—Paralysis, resulting from apopleq
called serious apoplexy, au effusiow.of watery flue
on the ventricles of the brain.
The Coroner—Then insanity had nothing to el°
with the cause of her death ?

Dr. Hood—Yes it had;iind although there Wag
considerable doubt expressed as to the proprietis
of the verdict, for when she was tried there Of
not much evidence to prove her insanity, yet 0
have no doubt that even then the brain 10
diseased, and that she committed the act while
under the influence of insanity. Especially so, aO2O
was proved that some years before the trial oh.
was attacked with paralysis of one-half of tll5
hemisphere of the brain, by which the brain itseik
would to some extent be affected.

After some further evidence, the jury returned*
verdict of " Natural death."

ESCAPB OF A FUGITIVE SLAVS 111

AT.ETV YORK.

Just previous to the sailing of the steamshil!
Yorktown, yesterday afternoon, for Virginia, 1'
scene which created quite an excitement occurred
at pier No. 13, North River. About 3 o'clock !
close carriage, containing two deputy United State'
marshals and an alleged fugitive slave, named Job°
Polhemus, made its appearance on thawharf. The
slave was said to belong to Mr. Jameson, of Lynch
burg, and to have confessed that fact to his motel':
who is now in the city, before the two marsht;
above mentioned. However this may be, when t'''"
officials alighted, Gumbo showed
no very stroll
inclination to follow suit, and in fact resisted !I'll
invitations to step out on terra firma. PersualOa
failing, the marshals resorted to coercion, forice,
the negro from the waggon, and hurriedly theen?e,,
voured to ship on board the Yorktown. But tile
negro, slave or no slave, clung with no submissl
grasp to the rails of the plank, and shouted o,ut
0
with an appealing voice, evidently intended for tle
vox populi. Responsive to the cry, the Pelta
gathered round in a crowd in a few minutes, a" s
them the slave cried in desperate and piteous tone ;
"Oh men, save me, save me, save me. I'm 117 t A
man, not the man—no, no ; oh, save, save. 0,
policeman named Armstrong -came up at this jun,,
ture and interfered, asking the marshals to pr
duce their warrants and show their authority Ivo
shipping off the darkey as a slave. Not having t.'ls,
necessary documents, one of the marshals hurrwo
off to fortify himself with the authoritative paPeiri;
leaving the negro meanwhile in the custody of
other deputy. But before the officer had time '0
return, the slave, urged on by the crowd, cut tier
company of his keeper, and made tracks for lif
a 1
running rapidly towards West-street. The raarstt,
briskly pursued, but the slave proved nimble of kui,
and in a short time was completely out of sigele'r
It is said he crossed to Jersey City, where another
warrant will be necessary for his arrest. The c"',/
created quite a sensation.—New York Vera'
March 3.

------- -
The London and North,Western Railway traf6
return shows an increase this week of 30,2 292 (owing Part,',
to the Liverpool Races), the Great Northern, an increas;
of £1,162, the Great Western an increase of £1,312, th
London and South-Western an increase of £1,996, and the
Lancashire and Yorkshire au. increase of £1,505.