The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-15 00:00:00

MURDER AT WOKINGHAIII.

A man named John Blackwell, a shoemaker liv-
ing at Wokingham, has recently exhibited symp-
toms of aberration of mind in the shape of violent
religious delusions, and the parish officers had de-
termined to remove him to a lunatic asylum. On
Wednesday night a man named Rance was appointed
to sleep with him to prevent mischief. Rance agreed
with two men occupying cottages on either side of
Blackwells' that if he required assistance in the
night be should knock loudly on the walls. Soon
after midnight one of the neighbours was awoke by
a loud noise. He went to Blackwells, cottage, and
saw Blackwell standing over Rance, who was lying
on the floor quite dead. Being frightened, he went
into his own cottage, and shut the door, at which
the maniac presently knocked, saying, "I have
killed the devil, and I am the king of kings." Black-
well then went away, and was not found till Thurs-
day morning, when he was seen kneeling in the
street and praying in an incoherent manner. From
the appearance of Rance's body, it seemed as if he
had been first knocked down, and then had re-
ceived several severe cuts in the throat and hand.
The maniac's own account of the matter before the
magistrates was as follows :—" That man offered to
be my protector, and wished me to sleep on. When
I had a certain evidence in my mind that eternity
was coming, I could'nt sleep. I got out of bed, but
he pulled me back. He said, `You feel warm ;'
and I said I don't feel everlastingly warm.' I had
a presentiment that he was a devil, and I deter-
mined to kill him. I struck him a blow, which
almost levelled hiw, but the second did quite. I then
got a knife, just as he managed to get the door
open, and stuck him in the neck. The knife didn't
cut, but I managed to hag and jag away till I hal
done the job."
The magistrate committed him for trial at the
assizes, and he was removed to the county gaol.

SHOCKING MURDER AT CANTERBURY.

CANTERBURY, THURSDAY.

A murder was committed this morning, at about
7 o'clock, on the Sturry-road, by a young man,
named Stephen Fox, a plane maker, aged 24, upon
a young woman, named Mary Ann Hadley, aged
23, by shooting her. The latter, who is a laun-
dress, was on her way to her work, at Mr. Carter's
in the Sturry-road. Fox waylaid her in an alley
between the cavalry barracks and the new militia
stores, leading to the road where she had to pass.
When she came up he ran out and presented two
single barrel pistols at her, exclaiming " Now you
must die ! " and immediately discharged the con-
tents of both at her. One ball passed through the
upper part of the left thigh, and the ether shattered
the third finger of the left hand. The poor girl
ran about 20 yards, and while falling was caught in
the arms of Stephen Baker, a labourer working at
the new militia stores, who, on hearing the report
of fire-arms, ran to her assistance. Fox ran off as
soon as he had done the deed, but was soon cap-
tured by Edward Gurney, a gardener. Hadley
was conveyed to Mr. Carter's house, which is close
by. Mr. Carter went for medical assistance, but
when Mr. T. Andrews, surgeon, arrived he gave no
hopes, and the wounded girl died about 1G minutes
afterwards. The parties had courted about 18
months, but the engagement had been suddenly
broken off in consequence of Fox's misconduct.
In the couree of the clay an inquest was held on
the body, and the evidence adduced clearly proved
that the murder was premeditated, Fox having
shown the loaded pistols to a witness of the name
of Gurney, and said he meant to shoot the deceased.
Gurney informed deceased of Fox's threats, and she
tried to keep out of his way, but he watched for
hrr, and ultimately effected his diabolical purpose
as above related. It was shown that there had
been a courtship between them, which was broken
off by the deceased on account of Fox's intimacy
with another female.

The jury returned a verdict of wilful murder,
and the coroner made out his warrant accordingly.
In the afternoon an examination took place be-
fore the magistrates, when the prisoner made the
following statement :—" The reason. why I did it
was because she deceived me. I had premised her
marriage, and she consented. I went to her house
on Monday evening, but she was not at home. I left
about nine o'clock. I went again on Tuesday at six
o'clock, and she was not at home then. I went there
again and stopped till a quarter past ten, when she re-
turned home. I went into the front room, and asked
her the reason of this unpleasantness. She said it was
my own fault. I said, Be it so.' I said, 'Give me a
decided answer, yes or no, and I will leave you for ever.'
She said, 'No, Stephen, I will meet you to-morrow
(Wednesday) evening, precisely at eight o'clock. She
did not meet me, however. This morning at seven I
saw her again. She said, Stephen, forgive me. I said,
No, I can't.' I had kept company with her two years.
I never bad a mis-word till last Tuesday evening."

He was then committed for trial at the ntxt assizes.

THE COTTON SUPPLY AND INDIAN
RIVER NAVIGATION.

We are requested to publish the following copy of a
memorial from the Manchester Chamber of Commerce
to Lord Palmerston, with Lord Palmerston's reply :
" To the Right Honourable the Lord Viscount Palmerston,
K.G., !cc.,

" The memorial of the Directors of the Chamber of
Commerce and manufactures at Manchester shewetb,
" That among the measures which have been proposed for
developing the resources of India, and obtaining increased
supplies of cotton from that country, there is probably none
which promises more ample or more speedy advantages
than the navigation of the great rivers of that country by
steam, whereby the productions of the interior would find
an easy outlet to the coast, and a superior inlet would be
afforded for British manufactures.

"That the main impediments heretofore subsisting to
the effectual and profitable navigation of Indian rivers by
steam, has been their shallowness at certain seasons, but
that this difficulty has been overcome by an expedient pro-
posed by Mr. Bourne, civil engineer, whereby the cargo,
instead of being placed in the steamer herself, which would
sink her too deeply in the water, is placed in a succession
of shallow barges properly attached to the steamer, where-
by a large carrying capacity is reconciled with a shallow
draught.
"That Mr. Bourne's proposal has been submitted to the
most eminent engineers of this country, and to a number
of the most distinguished Indian officers, who have all tes-
tified to the great advantages which the introduction of it
into India would afford ; that his arrangements have been
tested practically with satisfactory results ; and that, as
far back as 1849, your memorialists, in common with other
commercial bodies throughout the kingdom, addressed a
memorial to the directors of the East India Company,
urging upon them the great public importance of so far en-
ccuraging Mr. Bourne's proposals as to enable them to be
practicall) carried out.
" That your memorialists have, ever since that time,
looked upon this scheme for promoting internal transport
in India with the greatest solicitude ; that they consider
the wide introduction into India of such improved modes
of communication as will enable large quantities of bulky
commodities to be carried through long distances at
aas the indispensable antecedent of any
solid
expense,orperarienl improvement in the condition of India ;
that water conveyance is the cheapest of aey mode of con-
veyance yet known , and that in Mr. Bourne's plan for
navigating the Indian rivers, whereby many thousands of
miles could be immediately opened up without any con-
siderable outlay, they recognise a means of speedily reali-
gng this important desideratum.
"ghat your memorialists are informed by Mr. Bourne
that a company has been formed in London to carry out
this plan of navigation in India, and that he, on behalf of
that company, has applied to the directors of the Honour-
able the East India Company for such terms of encoura ce-
ment as he considers would enable them to carry out the
design, but that he has not yet received any definite
answer, and that the delays which have occurred are most
injurious and discouraging to the said company.
" That your memorialists are fully persuaded that if, in
1849, when this expedient for opening up the resources of
India was urged upon the Indian authorities, some step
had been taken for carrying it into practical effect, an im-
portant impulse would by this time have been given to the
production and improvement of Indian cotton.
"Calling to mind your lordship's patriotic desire to
multiply the sources of supply of raw cotton, believing
that India, under wise and necessary reforms, would be
enabled not only to produce an immense increase in cotton
and all other articles of export, but to absorb in con-
sumption a corresponding increase in the manufactures of
this kingdom, convinced that the means of cheap trans-
port is an absolute essential toward such a desirable con-
summation, and that Mr. Bourne's scheme is well calcu-
lated to provide it, your memorialists earnestly pray that
your lordship may use your powerful influence towards
hastening the directors of the Honourable Company and
the Board of Control to a favourable decision with respect
to it, and granting to it such legitimate assistance as its
merits deserve, and as, in the opinion of this board, the
true interests, both of India and Great Britain, require.—
And, as in duty bound, Sec.,
(Signed), "THOMAS BAZLEY, President,"
" Chamber of Commerce and Manufactures,
Manchester, April 30, 1857,
in your lordship's hands a memo-
rialfMlL Lrtohed, Ipe
directorslaeof this chamber, Praying for your
lordship's intercession on a subject which, they fear, has
encountered, and is still experiencing, an apathy which is
injurious to the interests both of India and this country.
Your lordship will belie ve that, in advocating Mr. Bourne's
scheme for river navigation in India, the memorialists
have no other object in view than the public good ; but
they see in it so strong a probability of real usefulness,that
they do not hesitate in invoking your lordship's aid as the
First Minister of the Crown.—l have the honour to
be, &c.,
" THOMAS BAZLET, President."
(REPLY.)

" Downing-street, May 2, 1857.
"Lord Palmerston presents his compliments to Mr.
Bazley, and begs to acknowledge the receipt of his letter,
dated the 30th nit., and of the accompanying memorial of
the directors of the Chamber of Commerce and Manufac-
tures at Manchester.
" Lord Palmerston begs to assure the directors that the
subject referred to in their memorial shall receive des con-
sideration from her Majesty's Government.

FIBS ON Boann SHlP.—A.bout 11 o'clock on Wednes-
day night an alarming fire broke out on board the ship
Henry Moore (1,226 tons), Captain Stewart, of London,
fitting out in Messna. Young's dry dock, Liniehouse.
Serious consequences w,re for a time apprehended, but
by dint of exertions the flames were got under, and the
damage confined to the parts previously enumerated,
which were partly destroyed.

COURT OF CV3III/01-sr COUNCIL.