The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-01 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE—Dec. 31.

S OUTHWARK,—SKITTLB
dressed young fellow, of rather gentlemanly ap-
pearance, who gave the name of Joseph Hobbs,
was charged with being concerned, with two others
not in custody, in defrauding Samuel Belt of four
sovereigns and a valuable gold watch and chain
under the following circumstances :
The prosecutor, a simple-looking man, said that
in July last he kept a beershop in Harper-street,
New Kent-road, which he had a desire to get rid
of. About the 6th of that month the prisoner came
to the bar, and witness served him with a glass of
ale. While he was drinking it he asked whether
he wanted to part with the house, and on being
answered in the affirmative, he told him that hee
knew of a customer, and he could introduce him to
the party if he went with him. Witness consented,
as he believed the prisoner to be a respectable man,
and they went to a beerhouse in Long lane, Ber-
mondsey. He (the prisoner) said that the party
was not there, when he quitted that place and went
to another beerhouse at Star-corner. They entered
the parlour and had some ale, the prisoner telling
him that the party would be sure to meet them
there. While they were there two men entered—one
like a sailor, and the other had spectacles on. They
had some ale, and one of them said he was a good
shot with a rifle, and he would not mind shooting
with anybody fora £5 note. The one with spectacles
on said he had just come up from the country, but
he would bet him anything that he would hit the
hull's eye 18 times out of 21. A bet was made for
five dozen of stout, andthey asked witness to go with
.them to see fair play, and help them to drink it.
Prisoner advised him to go, saying he would be sure
to sell his house for him. He consented to go with
them, and after traversing several streets they passed
through the turnpike, and went into another beer-
house, in which was a skittle-ground. Witness ex-
pressed his surprise at this, as prisoner said that the
rifle gallery was there, but in explanation he said
that the house had been altered since he was there
last, and he advAed a game of skittles. It was
ultimately arranged that he and the prisoner should
play against the other two men, and in a very
short time witness lost four sovereigns. After that
they played several games, and he staked his watch
and chain, and lost them. He played £5 against
bis watch, and £5 against the chain.
Mr. Burcham asked if the prisoner lost as well
as he did.

Witness replied that he did, and apparently paid
()Ter money to the others, but he suspected that it
was all flash money, and that they all acted in con-
cert to defraud him. As soon as he had parted
with the watch and chain, the other two men left
the ground, and the prisoner said he suspected they
were skittle-sharpers, and he would go and stop
them. He also went out, and witness saw nothing
more of him until Saturday afternoon, when he met
him in the Borough, and as soon as he saw witness
he took to his heels, but the constable pursued him
and took him into custody.
The prisoner here seemed anxious for the appear-
ance of his solicitor, whom he had sent for.

Mr. Burcham said that if the prosecutor had not
more evidence against him, there was nothing that
he could interfere with. He asked the prosecutor
if he had related all the circumstances to him ?

Complainant replied that he had, but if he was
remanded for a few days, no doubt his companions
could be apprehended. The prisoner was known
to be a notorious skittle-sharper.
_ _

Mr. Burcham told him he could not remand the
case under the circumstances, as it was similar to
four men playing at whist, and two losing. He
must, therefore, discharge the prisoner, but he
should caution him to be careful or he would be
caught in his own net.

WESTMINSTER. MORE MILITARY OUT-
RAGES.—George May alias Harris, and William
Wheeler, privates attached to the Military Train,
were charged with the following various offences :
Henry Emmons, 15, Leader-street, Chelsea, tripe
dresser, said between half-past 11 and 12 on Satur-
day night Harris came up to his shop, dashed his
hand through a pane of glass, and took out from
the window a piece of glass which he threw to
Wheeler, who then also broke a square of glass.
Prosecutor followed them to the house of a neigh•
bour, Mr. Valens.

Alfred Valens, 80, Leader-street, Chelsea, grocer
and cheesemonger, said that shortly before twelve
on Saturday night he heard cries of " Murder," and
immediately afterwards Harris made his uppear-
ance, took up a large piece of bacon, and wantonly
dashing it into a case of eggs broke about 200, to
the value of £l, and the prisoners also broke two
squares of glass. They then laid hold of prosecutor,
and Wheeler held him while Harris struck him
fepeatedly, calling out " Kill the ; dash the
front of his - head in." Prosecutor added that
aboNt four years ago Harris came to his shop and
obtained some bacon for which he refused to pay.
The veighbours on that occasion punished him
severely, and one of his comrades received 14 days'
imprisonment ; and Harris referring to that, said on
Saturday it was his turn now, and he would murder
every one.
Alfred Jones, 20, Leader-street, oil and colourman,
proved that the prisoners also visited his shop, and,
breaking the windows, threw out into the road and
destroyed £2 worth of starch, washing powder, &c.
William Lucker, shoemaker, in the same street,
also proved that they broke his windows.
Mr. Paynter asked if a woman was present who
had been assaulted by Harris.

The police intimated that she was not, but
A witness stood forward and said she had been
seriously assaulLed without any provocation what-
ever, and
Police-constable i„.'lnnell said Mr. Valens had
Police
bled copiously from the
:effects of the punishment
given by Harris.
at Harris had fre-
It having been intimated L.l'
game
(R
s_hill Bt,quently been in prison under the e
on °f May
divi-
A constable from Shooter'
sion) produced a warrant for his apprehe:lsion for
manslaughter, signed by the coroner for Kent:
They were remanded till Thursday.

SMASHING EXTRAORDINAB.Y.—Jane Dyer and
Simm Connor were prosecuted by the Solicitor to
the Mint for wholesale uttering of counterfeit coin.
It appeared from the evidence of Henry Leeson,
barman to Mr. George Eason, the Queen's Head,
Marsham-street, that the prisoners came in together
on the 22d ult. for some beer, and Dyer afterwards
called for some gin and tendered a bad shilling,
which was :detected, and she was seen to take out
another, upon which a policeman was fetched.
Dyer then held her hand out to Connor behind her,
but the barman placing his hand there, received a
glove, which was afterwards found to contain 16
counterfeit shillings and a counterfeit half-crown.
They were committed for trial.

FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT KIDDERMIN-
STER, YESTERDAY.—An accident of an appalling kind
took place near the Kidderminster station of the West
Midland Railway, by which a platelayer immediately lost
his life. A fast train leaves Worcester at 10.25 a.m., only
stopping at Kidderminster for passengers booked to the
north. Yesterday morning the weather was rather misty,
and it was perhaps owing to this cause that the accident
occurred. Thomas Smith, the platelayer in question, was
on the Hoo Brook viaduct, a mile south of Kidderminster,
when this train came up. He was evidently aware of its
approach, for he had signalled to another man on the line
below him to get from between the metals. He himself,
however, neglected to do so in time. The consequence
was that the front part of the engine, caught him, and he
was hurled on to the line. The train immediately passed
over him, cutting off his head and one of his arms, and
otherwise mutilating his body in the most frightful man-
ner. The train was proceeding at the rate of about 35
"'q an hour at the time of the accident, and was pulled
111110.
up about tt quarter of a mile from where it occurred
Death was, of course, instantaneous. An engine was sent
from the Kidderminster station to pick up the poor fellow's
remains, and they have been removed to an inn, where the
Lulled will be held,

SKIPPING STATISTICS.

Messrs. Cunard, Wilson, and Co. have issued the
following annual circular :
" Liverpool and London Chambers, Exchange,
" Liverpool, Dec. 31, 1860.
" Sir,—The sales of sailing ships at our port may
be reported as fully equal to those in 1859, but we
are unable to quote any marked advance in prices.
In one or two exceptional cases we have obtained as
much as £9 per ton register for very superior new
British colonial-built vessels, classed A seven years;
' but the general price may be quoted at from £8 to
£8 15s. per ton, as shown by the sales of 15 new
vessels during the past month. The prices of British-
built high-classed vessels are still lower than for
some years past ; and this, with the high price of
labour and material, has caused many builders to
cease building for the market, and to lay down
vessels only that have previously been contracted
for. Iron shipbuilding is increasing, though gene-
rally only to order, and moderate-sized iron vessels
suitable for China and the West Coast of America
are much inquired after. The sales of such vessels
during the year produce an average rate of £l5 per
ton, builders' measurement; and at this price we
are still enabled to effect contracts for vessels to be
built, by eminent builders, classed A 1, 12 years, at
Lloyd's, with a complete East India outfit. There
are now 61 vessels for sale in this port ; the greater
number of which are colonial-built, and their aggre-
gate tonnage is 29,408 tons, being 12 ships and
8.480 tons less than on the 31st Deo., 1859. We
shall have a larger supply of new tonnage from
the colonies, but only a small proportion can arrive
before August or September, and we do not appr.-
hand the whole will be more than necessary to mai
the losses of the year aid the rapidly expanding
trade of the country. Vessels from four to ten years
old, both British and colonial-built, that have not
yet lapsed from their original class of A 1, are
always in demand, and for those of a lower class,
suitable for carrying timber or cotton (of which
there are very few for sale), there are, particularly
at this season, numerous buyers at advanced prices.
The steam tonnage of the United Kingdom has,
within the last five years, increased in a much
greater proportion than that of sailing vessels, and
in a much greater ratio than that of any other
nation. While at the end of 1855 it amounted to
88,956 tons, it increased in 1859 to 389,515 tons,
being about 35 per cent. more. There is appa-
rently a tendency to substitute the rapid and com-
paratively certain power of steam for the more un-
certain power of wind, and this tendency will be-
come stronger, should the various experiments for
economising fuel prove to be as successful as they
are expected. A large business has been done in
the sale of steamers during the year ; several im-
portant sales having been made on foreign account.
For the trade of our country there has been a good
demand, the increased traffic of some of the leading
railways having induced an opposition by screw
steamers, whereby both purchasers and charterers
have been brought into the market. With regard
to the value of steamers for employment, we may
quote the rates at which we have chartered steam-
, ers during the year, which vary from 19s to 23s per
ton gross per month, on the Government form of
charter, and from 13s to 15s 6d per ton in cases
. where the charterers pay all expenses, the boats
being insured at the cost of the owners. For one
I very fine screw steamer we obtained 16s 8d per ton."

COUNTRY .111ABRETS.

COLCHESTER—DEc. 29.

A short show of wheat, in good condition, and buyers
still evincing more eagerness to purchase. Beet wheats is
brisk demand, and prices may be quoted at 2e above late
rates; inferior samples were at former quotations. Fine
malting barley in improved demand, and is dearer. In-
ferior sorts unaltered, with a fair trade.
Wheat, white 6os to 68s 1 beans, Mazagan.. 36s to 42s
red 44s to 60s I Middle & small 44s to 50a
Barley 4os to 50s White peas 4Bs to 62s
Oats 22s to 28s Grey, .. 42s to 48a

NORTHAMPTON—DEC. 29.
At this corn-market to-day wheat was in middling sup-
ply, with a fair demand, prices ranging from 64s to 68s for
white, and 52s to 60s for rod. In barley a good business
malting 40s to 445, grinding 32s to 35s per qr. Oats is
small supply, and prices as before—quoted at 24s to 38s
per 24 stone. Beans, old, 54s to 56s ; peas, 44s to 545.
Rye, 37s to 425; malt, 68s to 725 ; flour, 33s to 34. per
sack