The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-07 00:00:00

DANGEROUS RIFLE PRACTISING.

Mr. James Beasley surrendered to an indictment for mis-
demeanour, charging him with unlawfully keeping an en-
closed ground for the purpose of practising rifle shooting,
to the great danger and nuisance of the persons residing in
the neighbourhood.

Mr. Metcalf and Mr. Orridge prosecuted, and Mr. Lewis
appeared for the defendant.

Mr. Metcalf said the prosecution was instituted by the
Government, and their object was to protect the public from
injury. No one, of course, condemned the practice of rifle
shooting, and he was certain everybody sympathised with
the patriotic movement now on foot, but a line must be
drawn with respect to the ground taken for rifle practice,
it was thought the present was a proper course for Govern-
ment interference.

Mr. Alfred Brett—l reside at 5, Albert•villas, Old Ford,
Stratford-le-Bow. My, house is at the back of the butt
erected by the defendant. It is an enclosure very near three
highways—the Victoria-road, the Victoria-park-road, and
the Albert-road. They all run along the back of the butt.
I have been in the army for nine years. I know the whistle
of a rifle bullet well. (Laughter.) On several occasions
I have been outside the enclosure, and had what I
consider very narrow escapes from the bullets
fired at the butt erected by the defendant. I have
frequently seen the bullets enter the public roadways.
Cross-examined by Mr. Sleigh—l have been an instruc-
tor of musketry. The flight of a rifle bullet would be about
half a mile. My house is about 40 yards from the butt. I
have known bullets come into the public thoroughfares on
many occasions. I don't think the report of the rifle could,
by any person familiar with the sound, be mistaken for the
whistle of the bullet. There are sand bags and faggots
about the butt.

Re-examined--I have known bullets enter the houses in
the Albert-road. There is nothing to prevent shots pass-
ing over the butt into the Victoria. park-road. The bullet
would range 600 yards over the Victoria-park-road. The
bullet would destroy life at about 800 or 1,000 yards.
Samuel Bartholomew—l live at No. 8, Albert-villas, Old
Ford. On the 3d of December, I heard the report of
rifle-shooting at the butt erected by Mr. Beasley.
The next morning a rifle bullet was picked up in my
bed •room. I went to Mr. Beasley about it, and he
returned to my house with me in company with another
gentleman. The gentleman said the bullet had been thrown
into his room, to which I replied that it was impossible for
a person to throw a bullet through a venetian blind. There
was also a circular hole through a pane of glass in the win-
dow at which the blind hung.

Mrs. Batholomew, wife of the last witness, said—l heard
the report of a rifle on the 3d of December, immediately
after which I heard the breaking of glass. My son George
afterwards picked up a rifle bullet in our bedroom.
Cross-examined--I should think the bullet made a hole
fa the wall about half an inch in depth.

George Bartholomew proved he picked up the bullet, as
described by his mother.
Jonathan Butcher, a police sergeant, said that rifle
shooing had been carried on in defendant's ground for
some months previous to the 3d of Dec. He also said that he
informed Mr. Beasley that a bullet had entered the bed
room of Mr. Bartholomew. Bullets had often passed over
his head, and on one occasion one entered the roadway a
very short distance from his feet. He had found three
bullets in all, but he had, since he had been before the
magistrate lost two of them. He had known persons in a
state of intoxication firing at the butts erected by Mr.
Beasley.
The Recorder—Whit made you think some of the men
were drunk ?

Witness—Well, because they could not walk straight.
(Laughter.)
Mr. Lewis—How many could not walk straight ?
Witness—TwO or three.

Mr. Lewis—How many were there at the ground in all ?
Witness—l suppose about thirty.
Mr. Lewis—Do you mean to say that some of the gentle.
men in the rifle uniform were drunk ?

Witness—Yes.
Mr. Lewis—And your only reason for saying three were
drunk was that they could not walk straight ?

IxTitueb3—Yes.

Inspector Hennesy said—l have complained to Mr.
Beasley of the danger arising from firing at the rifle butt in
his enclosure. In September I was standing in the Vie.
toria-park-road when a bullet passed over my head. I went
to the ground and found 30 or 40 persons firing at the short
range, and drinking ale. On the 28th of the same month Mr.
Beasley promised to make any alteration the police commis-
sioners desired, but I told him the commissioners would not
take the responsibility of making any suggestion, but if
Mr. Beasley would make his butt safe no proceedings
would be taken against him.

Abraham Quilter, Musketry Instructor to the Tower
Hamlets' Militia—l some time rented the butt erected by
Mr. Beasley. I gave it up because I did net consider it
safe to the public.- It was afterwards raised some feet, but
it has since sunk, and is now about the same height it was
when I rented it.

Cross-examined—A skilled person could not fire at the
butt with any degree of certainty.
Mr. Lewis—Do you mean to say you could not hit the
target ?

Witness—l have great doubt about it.
Mr. Lewis—.l should not like to be a target for you to
fire at.

Witness—Oh, no ; you would stand a very awkward
chance of getting the shot. (Laughter.)
Mr. Lewis—Yes, I should think so. What, do you think
General Hay would do if he saw persons practising at the
butt ?

Witness—General Hay I Why he'd run away and
never stop until! he got to Hythe agaio. (Laughter.)
Capt. Boden said he had been employed examining the
butts erected for the practice of rifle shooting by the
volunteers. The butt in its present condition was no safe.
The danger could only be prevented by the range being
completely roofed over by a bullet proof material.
Mr. Swiss made a technics' objection to the form of the
indictment which was overruled.
Counsel then ret.red to arrange the matter, as the only
thing they sought by the present proceelings was the pro-
tection of the public.
After an absence of about a quarter of an hour Mr.
Sleigh said he had arranged with his learned friend, that
his client should plead guilty, and be allowed to be dis-
charged on his own recognisances to appear when called
upon: He desired to take that opportunity of publicly
denying in the most positive terms on the part of several
gentlemen who were present, that there had ever been any
volunteers drunk While firing at the butt.
Mr. Metcalfe said it appeared to him that his learned
friend was now fixing it upon the volunteers. The witness
said there were other persons there as well.
The jury found the prisoner guilty.
The Recorder directed the defendant to enter into hie
recognisances to appear when called upon, at the same
time informing him, that if he made the place safe, he
would not be called up for judgment.

POLICE .11VTELLIGENCE.—( This Day.)

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

CHARGE OF FRAUD AGAINST THE SECRETARY OF A
BENEFIT SOCIETY.—James Munn, of 6, Blenheim-street,
Secretary to the West-end Boot-closers' Provident Society,
was charged before Mr. Tyrwhitt with defrauding Charles
Glover and others of various sums of money to the amount
of £2O, received by him for and on their account.
Mr. Edward Lewis, of Great Marlborough-street, ap-
peared for the defendant.
Mr. Charles 'Glover, of 57, Castle-street, said defendant
was the Secretary of the "West-end Boot-closers' Provident
Society (unenrolled), and witness was a member. Defendant
was secretary of the society from July 1858 till March 5,
when he was dismissed. During the whole time defend -zit
was so employed the books of the society were not
examined ; but after he was dismissed they were
examined, and a deficiency was found to the
amount of more tnan L 29. nu wished to state that, on the
13th February, 1858; £lll6s. balance being in hand, it was
cilityof acting as ho had done.
agreed to lend it in small sums to the members, and it was
lent, arid it was through this the
aisf athere was any deficiency, to pay
very complicated affair, and de-
fendantdefendantaAidi r
.back Lew whai andsa ds
wti
saidhl l ei againni ftga
it back. At a meeting the previous night it was agreed
that-six weeks should be given for the books to be gone
through, and yet the defendant had been given into cus •
tody. _

Tyrwhitt said he should remand the defendant for a
week, and the books in the meantime could be looked over.
He would, however, take bail for the prisoner's reappear-
ance.
Bail was accepted.

We regret to hear that Mrs. Wollidge, after an
arduous and lengthened career in the theatrical profession,
is, in consequence of a severe attack of paralysis, compelled
in her declining years to apply for the benefits of that ox..
cellent institution, the Dramatic College, to which, by her
talents as an actress for upwards of 48 years, we consider
her justly entitled.

An inquiry was opened at the Town Hall, Ash-
ton, yesterday, before Dr. Holland, appointed by
the Home ,Secretary, to investigate certain allega-
tions which have latterly been made of gross
irregularities in the parochial burial grounds, and
particularly in that attached to the parish church,
and in the ground belonging to the cemetery, in
Stalybridge Road. The order of July 1, 1855, it
seems, provides " that only one body is to be buried
in each grave in the new cemetery, and no burials
to take place without a covering of earth 41 feet
in depth, at the least, measuring from the upper
surface of the coffin." The parish, churchyard had
been closed from the Ist of October, 1855 ; and by an
order dated the 13th November, 1858, the incumbent
and churchwardens were required to adopt the fol.
lowing measure as to the cemetery :—" That the said
cemetery be effectually drained, so that water
may not accumulate in any grave." The allega-
tions were that these orders had been systematically
set at defiance.—Mr. Hugh Mason, ex-mayor of
Ashton, who attended in support of the allegations,
said this inquiry had been promoted by the Town
Council, but he was also there in his individual
character to make certain statements.—A long dis-
cussion here took place, the question being whether ,
the charges should be made backed by the authority
of the Town Council or by an individual.—The Rev.
Mr. Parkes, the Rev. Mr. Radley, Mr. Alderman G.
Hegiubottom, Mr. Mellor, Dr. Lees, and other gentle-
men, not wishing to submit to the Town Council the
question in dispute, Mr. Railey said he required
that the statements should be taken in the name
of Mr. Mason.—Mr. Mason agreed to this course.
—Mr. Mason then read a statement containing the
allegations referred to. He asserted that four cof-
fins had been put into one grave in the cemetery
during the last twelve months ; that in other graves
the covering of earth was not more than three feet,
Or three feet two inches in depth ;;that coffins had.
been placed in actual contact, or that only one
inch of soil lay between them ; that the cemetery
had not been effectually drained, water having
been lifted out of the graves, and coffins having
been seen floating ' that graves had been kept
open until four or five coffins had been put in,
covered with boards, and not filled up with parth
until the last coffin was put in ; that in Janu-
ary last, Thomas Moss was buried in a com-
mon grave in the parish churchyard, and that
a coffin was taken out of the grave belonging to
another person, and removed elsewhere; also that
Moss's coffin was not at a sufficient depth. Mr.
Mason said he was prepared to prove the strict truth
of these charges ; but his witnesses were poor men
and ought not to be brought forward. The Rev.
Mr. Parkes said he denied the general statement
of Mr. Mason. Mr. Mason then demanded a per.
sonal investigation, It was denied that the allega-
tions as to Moss's grave were true ' • but it was ad-
mitted that the cemetery had only been partially
drained. It was also admitted that the late
sexton, Thomas Newton, had acted in an
irregular manner; but it was urged that since
the present sexton had become acquainted with
the orders in council, no irregularities had occurred.
Mr. Mason, in reply, said the orders had been
grossly violated since Thomas Newton had been
discharged. Samuel Lomas, the sexton, in
answer to Dr. Holland, admitted 'that there might
be coffins in the cemetery something like four feet
from the surface ; but he was certain not one
within three [feet. No coffins were put within an
inch of each other; there was the depth of a spade be-
tween them. Mr. Mason asked Lomas if, on a
rough Saturday, there were coffins put in a grave
and boarded over, and put in actual contact ?
Mr. Lomas denied that they were put in contact.
--Mr. Mason : I say they were. I will bring a
man who was at the funeral and saw it.—Dr. Hol-
land then asked as to the coffins seen floating.
Several persons present exclaimed, " It is not true."
Mr. Mason : hay it is the strict truth.—Dr. Holland
then put the question as to graves being left open
four and five days.—Lomas : It is not true.—Mr.
Mason : I say it has been done. I wish to ask Mr.
Lomas, on his solemn oath, if graves had not been
filled up after several coffins had been put in P
Mr. Lomas said he gave orders for the grave diggers
to fill them up ; and Mr. Parkes explained that the
ground sank.—After a long and angry discussion,
Mr. Mason called Mr. William Wood, a town
missionary, who proved that he had assisted
Mr. Lomas to put two coffins upon each other
without any soil between them in a grave in the
cemetery yard. Witness acknowledged the day
was a very rough one, and that they were glad to
get the coffin anywhere.—Dr. Holland and a
great part of the audience then proceeded to
the cemetery, and the ground was probbed. It
was quite evident that this had been previously
done, as there were numerous holes, and a great
deal of indignation was expressed by the Church
party. One place was probed, and it was admit-
ted on all hands that there was a coffin 3ft. 4iin.
from the surface. Dr. Holland and Mr. Mason then
took a coach for the purpose of examining the latter
gentleman's witness, Wm. Bradbury, an inmate of
the workhouse. Bradbury said : I have dug graves
at the cemetery this year. I have assisted to put four
coffins in one grave. There would be l fin. or 2in.
between the coffins. I recollect digging a grave,
and when one coffin was put in the grave was not
filled up. The coffin was just covered, and it was
left until the grave was filled:up. Until about two
or three months ago it was the custom to cover
graves with planks and leave them until they .s.ere
filled up. When the fourth coffin was put into the
grave, it would be rather better than two feet from
the surface. I have seen water in dgrave, and had
to ladle it out. I dug a part of Moss's grave. We
found a very big coffin in the grave, about a foot
from the top. The coffin was put in the next
grave. It was dark. It was not taken out of the
grave, but the wall of the next grave was cut down
to a level, and it was pushed into the other grave.
Lomas helped to shift it. Dr. Holland having re-
ceived a good character of the witness from the
Governor of the Workhouse, closed his inquiries,
and will make his report to the Secretary of State.

DEATH OF SIR GEORGE JACKSON, K.C.H.—One
of the oldest diplomatic servants of the Crown, in the per-
son of Sir George Jackson, died on Thursday last, at Bou-
logne. The late Sir George, who was son of the Rev. Dr.
Jackson, canon of St. Paul's, accompanied his brother, Mr.
Francis J. Jackson, to Paris, it being the first mission to
France after the French Revolution. He was attached to
the mission to Berlin from October, 1802;to 1806, and
was afterwards sent on a special mission to that country
at the end of the latter year. In 1807 he was ap-
pointed Secretary of Legation and Charge d'Affaires, but
returned home in consequence of the peace of Tilsit,
having in the meantime been selected to bring home the
treaty of peace with Prussia, and s übsequenily the account
of the surrender of Copenhagen to the King's forces. In
October, 1808, ho was appointed Secretary to the spe-
cial mission to Spain, and was ordered home in the
succeeding year in order to repair in the same capacity to
the United States, but did not go, in consequence of the
suspension of diplomatic relations between the two coun-
tries. Early in the spring of 1813 he was appointed
Secretary of Legation and Charge d'Affaires at Berlin,
and remained with the army and at Berlin till after
the Battle of Waterloo. In 1816 he was appointed Secre-
tary to the Embassy at St. Petersburg. While at Berlin
he attested the marriage of the late King of Have"-, awn
Duke of Cumberland. In 1899 ts. sent on special ser-
vice to macula, am ui April the following year was ap-
pointed Commissioner at Washington, under the Ist Article
of the Treaty of Ghent, which appointment he filled till
1827. The late Sir George was appointed Commissary
Judge at Sierra Leone in January, 1828; at Rio Janeiro,
in July, 1832 ; at Surianam, in August, 1841 ; and at
Loanda, in D,cember, 1845. For his diplomatic services
he was, in 1832, made a Knight Commander of the Royal
Hanoverian Guelphic Order, by William IV.
A DORSETSHIRE COTTAGE.—At the Dorset
County Petty Sessions, held at Dorchester on Saturday,
April 20, Jessie Phillips, of 0 wermoigne, near 'Weymouth,
was summoned by his employer, Mr. Thomas Masters, for
refusing to fulfil his agreement. It appealed that defendant
had made a yearly agreement for Bs. a week, potato ground,
house and garden, and wheat at ss. per bushel ; but when
he saw the house, he refused to enter it, took away his
goods, and had not been there since. Defendant said the
cottage was not tenantable ; the water came up to the doors.
His wife had only been confined a month; he was agreeable
to go if he had a good cottage, but this was a disgrace to
put a man into. Joseph Hall, a waggoner, said the front
door was only three feet from the sea. He could not call it
a cottage at all; it was merely a hole dug in the cliff; it
had one room upstairs, and one down, and it was rot plas-
tered, He was a farmer himself, and his cows had a better
stall. He had seen the sea fly all over it. Plaintiff said
the place, though not a very good cottage, was, certainly
tenantable; it was stone built, thatched, and well plas-
tered and whitewashed. Defendant said a gentleman far-
mer would not put his hackney horse in there. The case
was adjourned till the BenCh should make further in-
quirid. At the petty sessions of May, Mr. William's, the
presiding magistrate, read a letter from the surveyor who
had been appointed by the Bench to examine the cottage,
stating that he found the cottage in a dilapidated state, and
scarcely tenantable. The Bench decided that the cottage
was not fit for habitation, and held that the contract was
, void.

-
Tenders have been invited for a New Zealand
loan of £150,000 with interest at 6 per cent. from the Ist of
July, redeemable in 30 years. The adjudication is to be
made at the Union Bank of Australia on the 20th inst.
The instalments are to consist of 10 per cent. at the time
of contract, 20 per cent, respectively ou tile .20th of July
and the 20th of August, 25 per cent. on the 20th of Sep-
tember; and the bane° eA the 21st 01 October,

SUN OFFICE, Seven o'clock.

IMPERIAL. PAHLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—(THIS EVENING.)
The LORD CILANCELLOR took his seat on the wooLsack
at five o'clock,

--Earl ST. GERMANS presented petitions in favour of
legalising marriage tvi'll a deceased wife's slate.%
Lord HATHERTON presented a petition in favour of
vote by ballot.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Dewsbury, Batley, and Reckmondwicke Water,
Bishopscastle Railway, Great Northern Railway (purchase
ailw
and
of Hertford, &c. Railway), Kilkenny Market Llantressant
and Taff Vale Junction Railway, and Midland
(new line) bills were read a second time.
The South`Essex Water, Caledonian Railway (Ruther-
glen and Coatbridge branches) Alva Railw,y, Clifton
Durdham Downs, Kilrash and Kilkee Railway and Poul-
nasherry Reclamation, Bradford and Leeds Railway,
time and
aannad
Morayshire Railway bills were read a
passed.

WILLS OF PERSONALTY BY BRITISH SUB-
JECTS BILL.
On the motion for going into committee on this bill,
Lord LYNDHURSTrose and said he regrettednot being
present at the second reading of this bill. He thought the
measure was one of great importance, and therefore he
should offer a few remarks to their lordships
respecting the bill. The decision, that had been come to in
the case of Freeman and Freeman, in which the question
of domicile was involved, had produced a very great im-
pression on the other side of the channel, and if a noble friend
who was now in the south of France was present, he could
confirm that assertion. In the caso he had referred to, he
believed the amount of money involved was about £IO,OOO,
but the cost in the case could not have been
much less than 5,000. Again there was another case which
had lately been decided. It was simply a question of whe-
ther the domicile was in England or Scotland, The
evidence in the case amounted to 15,000 closely
printed pages, the arguments of counsel in Scotland lasted
ten days, and then it was brought to the House of Lords
upon appeal and was continued at much the same amount
of days in that court, and the cost must have been enor-
mous. He thought some alteration was absolutely
necessary. The bill was one that was much required, and
the misapprehensions that existed with respect to it were
because its provisions were not fully known. It did not at
all alter the provisions of a will. It only related to the
form in which it should be made for the future. He
knew that the noble lord (St. Leopards) below him had
made some objections to this bill, but then the bill of which
he had been the parent relative or, of the most
complicated pieces or legislation that had ever been before
their lordships. He thought if this was adopted a most
laudable and noble object would be accomplished.
Lord ST. LEONARDS denied that he was responsible
for the bill to which the noble lord had referred. He had no
more to do with it than any agent out of their lordships'
house. He had, however, been instrumental in carrying a
bill of which he felt proud, because since it had been in
existence not a single Englishman's will which came within
its provisions had ever been questioned. lie did not object
to the pi inciples of the bill, but what he objected to was
the manner in which domiciles were settled. He looked ca
the law of domicile as the law of nations, and unless we
could get other nations to agree with us we could not alter
the law.