The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-27 00:00:00

'I

rilE Es U N,R LONDON SATURDAY. EVENING, JUNE_27, 1857;

(This Day.)

IMPBOVEgENT OF THE MERCANTILE

MARINE SERVICE.

Yesterday afternoon a ptTblic meeting ofshipowners,
merchants, marines, and enginetrs of the port of Lon-
don, was held at the London Tavern, to consider the
operation of certain clauses of the Merchant Shipping
Act of 1854, and the expediency of endeavouring to ob-
tain a revi-d,on of the act. An association has been
formed named the Mercantile Marine Service Associa-

time, the object of which is to raise the condition of
masters, mates, and seamen, engineers and others of the
merchant marine ; to effect the amendment of the Mer-
chant Shipping Act, 1854, and to obtain the incorpora
tion by royal charter or act of Parliament of the
mercantile marine service of the United Kingdom.
Deputations from Liverpool, Southampton, Bristol,
Exeter, and other ports attended the meeting yesterday.
Masters, mates, and seamen, who are especially inte-
rested in the objects of the association (which had been
formed with a view to their benefit) bad also been re-
quested to attend, and were present in large numbers.
On the platform were the following members of Par-
liament :—Mr. Willcox, M.P. ; 111 r. Dater!, M.P. ;
Mr. White, M.P. ; Sir James Elphinstone, M.P. ;
and Mr. W. T. M'Cullagh, M.P.
Mr. CRAWFORD, M.P., who was in the ohair, opened
the meeting by detailing the objects which a ere agreed
upon at the meeting held on the 221 of May last. It is
proposed to elevate the social and professional status of
the class alluded to, by amending the system of exarni•
nations for masters and mates in they merchant service,
so that they may be conducted with due regard to expe-
rience, aptitude, and practical knowledge, as well as by
providing first-class certificates for roasters and mates in
certain cases without the usual examination, as rewards
for long and able service, brilliar t acts of seamanship,
discovery and enterprise, or the saving of life and cargo
under perilous conditions. It is alto suggested that
situations under Government, relating to these mat-
ters, shall ordinarily be bestowed upon properly-quali-
fied persons belonging to the merchant service. The
administration of the " Merchant Seamen's Fund" is to
be improved, so as to supply a comfortable refuge to
aged and disabled membersol the service in every grade.
The power now allowed seamen to quit their ships in
foreign ports, and join men-of-war, it is sought to abo•
lid). The objects of the association, moreover, include
an alteration of the existing law as to cases of wreck
and casualty, substituting inquiry by a c ironer's jury
(to be composed of shipowners and mariners) for the
present courts, and likewise the alterations of the re-
gister regulations, and the abolition of light dues and
passing tolls.
The following were the resolutions submitted to tie
meeting yesterday, and adopted :
" 1. That this meeting, approving the constitution
and objects of the Mercantile Marine Service Associa•
time, as read to the meeting, pledges itself to use all
legitimate efforts for the extension of the organisation
and the attainment of its objects.
"2. That the following, together with the chairman,
deputy chairman, and other officers of local associations,
constitute the executive committee : Captains J. S.
Boulton, W. 0. Campbell, J. R. Engledue, W. 11.
Franklyn, J. B. Godfrey, R D. Guthrie, Harrison, R.
Heard, A. Henderson, Charles Hoddrr, S. Hyde,
H.E.1.C.5., Jackson, T. Jarvis, C. H. OnFlow, George
Peacock, Samuel Reed, H. Reynell, George Richardson,
Robert Scott, WE 1.C.5., Duncan Smith, P. M. Stayers,
H. T. Strutt, T. W. Thatcher.
"3. That Mr. Crawford, M.P., be the chairman of
the association.

THE 31URD.EIZ OF ME. LITTLE.

DUBLIN, FRIDAY EVENING.
During the earlier part of this day a private in-
quiry was prosecuted at the Broadstone terminus,
under the direction of the Crown solicitor. The son
of the prisoner, and another persou were examined,
and their statements taken clown in writing in the
shape of depositions. Shortly before 4 o'clock the
prisoner was placed in a cab, and, accompanied by
Superintendent Guy, was on his way from Frederick
lane station to the Police-court in Capel-street,
where the magistrates, Mr. 'O'Donnell and Mr.
Portrr, had remained after office hours for the pur-
pose of hearing the case ; on the'way, however, an
order was received from the Government authori-
ties countermanding a previeu3 order, and directing
that the prisoner should not be brought before the
magistrates for examination until to-morrow morn-
ing at 11 o'clock. The interest evinced by the
Executive in the progress of the case may be gleaned
from the. fact that an Aide-de-camp of the Lord
Lieutenant attended to watch the proceedings.
Tin greatest excitement prevailed in the neighb.Jur-
hoodof the Police-curt, where crowds of persons
were assembled. No new fact transpired during
the day.
The following is from the Freeman's Journal:—
"It having been generally understoood that
the prisoner, James Spollen, at present con-1
fined in Frederick-lane police-station house,
charged with the murder of Mr. Little,
would be brought up for examination in
Capel-street police-office yesterday morning, a large
number ofpersons assembled in the office and round
the doors through which Spollen was expected to
pass, but they were destined to be disappointed, as
the Crown decided on postponing the examination
of the prisoner, for the purpose of obtaining some
additional and important evidence. As we have
already stated, the prisoner was not aware of his
having given information against him until he
saw her in Frederick-lane stationhouse on the oc-
casion of his being charged by Mr. Superintendent
Guy. On that occasion, after he had been brought
down stairs to the reserve room, he appeared quite
astonished when he saw his wife. After the charge
had been duly entered and read to him the pockets
of his clothes were searched in the usual way, and
in them a key was found, with other matters. He
objected to it being taken from him, ancleaid that
it was the key of his private drawer, and that they
had no right to deprive him of it. This key was
intrusted to one of the police, who went to the
prisoner's house late on Wednesday night, and
found that it opened a drawer in a chest in the par-
lour of his residence. In the drawer eight sove-
reigns were found rolled up in a piece of wadding,
which had the appearance of having been in a
muddy place, as portions of clay were adhering to
it. The police are of opinion that this money was
taken from the place where the gold and notes were
found the day previous by Sergeant Meyers. From
the time the prisoner saw his wife and heard the
charge which was made against him he has scarcely
spoken a word to any person, save when calling
for food, which he partakes of with a good ap-
petite. He remained nearly the entire of yes-
terday
in one position with his head resting on
his hand, and apparerfily impressed with the fear-
ful character of the charge brought against him.
The Crown Solicitor and Mr. Superintendent Guy
were occupied during the principal part of the day
in taking down the statement of Mrs. Spollen and
those of her daughter Julia, a very clever and in-
telligent child, who appears to be about 11 or 12
years of age, and in charge of the police, along
with her mother, as a witness for the Crown.

" The razor -with which Mr. Little's throat is
supposed to have been cut, and which was found
by the police in the canal, was shown to Mrs.
Spollen yesterday for the purpose of trying whe-
ther she could identify it as one belonging to her
husband. She said that she could not recognise it
as his, but remarked that some time before the
murder was committed her husband had been made
a present of a razor by a friend of his, and that the
razor found in the canal may be that one. The
police are aware of the name and address of the
person who gave the razor to the prisoner, who no
doubt will be able to say positively whether the
razor in the hands of the police is the one which he
gave to Spolleu. In the information given by
Mrs. Spollen to the police she says that her hus-
band, on coming home at eight o'clock on the
evening of the murder, remembered that he had
forgotten his time-book' in the office of Mr. Little,
and, fearing that it might be discovered, he went
back to the room and found it there and brought
it home.. The little girl (Julia Spolien) in her ex-
amination yesterday, it is understood, gave some
very important information, and identifies the piece
of cotton cloth in which the money found by Ser-
geant Meyers on Wednesday last between the
boundary walls of the railway and the workhouse
was wrapped up as hers. This piece of cloth,
she says, she got from her aunt some time
since to make a bonnet, but, not liking the ma-
terial, it was never applied to the purpose for
which it was given, but left lying at home. I
A general search for the remainder of the money
taken from Mr. Little's office on the night of the
murder and also for the key of the office-door was
resumed yesterday morning by Sergeants Craven
and Meyer?, a*isted by a number of workmen.
The Bradogue river, into which it was stated the
key was thrown, was thoroughlyexplored for a con-
siderable distance, and in places where it was
flagged over the flagging has been removed to faci-
litate the search. The two hiding places where the
money was found concealed on Wednesday were
also minutely examined, but up to a late hour last
evening neither the key nor the remainder of the
missing money had been discovered. A fitter's
hammer, with a broken face was found in a drawer
in the prisoner's house. This hammer is the one
which was given to the prisoner out of the railway
stores when he stated some sime since that he had
lost his own. The hammer which the prisoner

stated he had lost, Mrs. Spollen says, is the one
which was found in the canal. Late yesterday

evening the cottage in which the prisoner resided
was searched in every part, but no discovery was
made. The son of the prisoner, whose name also
is James Spollen, who is at present in charge of
the police at Chancery-lane stationhouse is a well-
looking lad of about 16 years of age. lie bore his
confinement very well up to yesterday evening,
when he became quite overt owered with grief at
the position in which his father was placed, and
called repeatedly for his mother, and he begged
of the constable who bad charge of him to take

him to her or bring her to him. He is at present
detained by the Crown as a witness. The search
at the Broadstone terminus will be resumed this
day, and the further exploration of the river pro-
ceeded with, as the possession of the missing key
of the door of the cash office is regarded as of the
last importance.
" Spollen was originally employed by the
company as a porter, but being an intelligent,
quick, ingenious parson, he soon acquired some
skill as a painter, and was latterly engaged in
paintil.ig, glazing, and doing odd jobs about the
terminus ; in fact, he was regarded as awry useful,
" handy man." - He is described as a very indus-
trious, hardworking man, rather quiet in manner,
steady in conduct, and .of good address. He ap-
pears, too, to be a man Of some taste ; the walls
of his neatly-furnished comfortable cottage are
profusely.adorned with pictures in gilt frames, and
the small piece of ground in front of it is laid out
in pretty flower-beds, with one or two little plots
of-peas,-now in blossom, interspersed. Scarlet run-
ners are also trained in front of the cottage, and
the garden is further adorned by an ingeniously
constructed " rockery," as it is termed—a number
of large stones, moss, flowers, and the roots of
trees, arranged together in a very tasteful manner.
Hanging outside the door was a handsome brass
wire cage containing a pretty canary, which was a
great pet of the prisoner's. He used to spend many
of his leisure moments in training it. He also kept
a small rabbit in a neat wooden cage, a portion of
which is circular and rotatory, like those in which
white mice and guinea pigs are generally confined.
The cottage lies almost exactly opposite to the
room in which the murder was committed, and
within a stone's throw both of the terminus and of
the place where the murderer concealed his booty.
Thus the first object which would meet the eyes of
Spollen and his wife on going out of their cottage
was the wincloW of Mr. Little 's room, the recollec-
tion of the terrible tragedy enacted therein being
constantly kept before the mind of the woman.
" We understand that the prisoner, contrary to
what might have been expected, has never evinced
the slightest disinclination to enter into conversation
on the subject of the murder. He has frequently dis-
cussed the matter with various persons in the em-
ployment of the company, always expressed his
horror of the crime, and was noticed for constantly
observing, What a nerve the fellow must have had
that did it.' It is stated that a few days ago he
was in company with some ofuthe workmen, when,
the murder having been referred to, one of the men
remarked, I wonder whether the murderer
was
among the batch lately discharged by the company,'
No,' replied Spollen, lam certain the fellow is
still among us and
laughing at us.' In reference to
the question of unrestricted access to the terminus
it may be mentioned that the prisoner had charge,
among other matters relating which building, of
the cleaning of the windows, on. account his
passing through rooms. and corridors would not at-
tract particular notice.
4‘ Among the means resorted to shortly after the
crime was committed for assisting to discover the
murderer was clairvoyance, and of the same there
was forwarded to the police authorities from Eng-
land a statement, alleged to have been made by a
clairvoyant operated upon in the tonal way, that
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