The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-23 00:00:00

surrendering themselves in time to save life, for the'
seamen were getting exasperated. Lawrence, the
warder, was found on his back on dome chain cable,
and much injured. He was at 'once' taken to the
surgery, where he wadexamined, and found to have
received a severe wound in the centre of the fore-
head from the point of one of the chain hooks, with
several other severe bruises on the face and different
parts of his body, but happily none are likely to
prove dangerous. His life may be' said to have
been saved solely-by 'the prompt, and unexpected
arrival of the armed crew of the Argus. A gang
of prisoners were employed ,in the testing-house
adjoining the cable store, and these, under their
warders, marched into the store and assisted the
men from the Argus in convoying the gang who
had committed the outrage to the convict prison at
the north part of the yard. Three of the convicts
who left the store on the first appearance of men
from the Argus were still absent, and Kirby, a
labourer in the store, with one of the seamen,
started off in search of them, and found them a
short distance off, two having chain
-hooks in their
hands, and the other one a hammer. They at first
refused to listen to any one, but at length one, who
appeared to be their leader, handed his chain hook
to Kirby, and the other two, throwing their wea-
pons on the ground, they all expressed their readi-
ness to accompany Kirby and the seamen to the
convict prison; which they did, when they were
taken charge Of by the authorities. In addition to
the four ringleaders who were thus secured before
the ,gang'S arrival at the prison, three others we're,
afterwards recognised by-Edson as having te.ken a
prominent part in the outrage. The name of the
supposed ringleader is stated to be Simpson.
The following appointments were made yester-
day at the -Admiralty :—Peter Erskine, acting
third-class assistant engineer, to the Cumberland as
supernumerary i John T. Wells, paymaster, to the
Renown; William G. McKnight, paymaster, to
the Amphion ; and Alfred H. Riddell, clerk to the
Victory, as secretary's clerk.

TEIB ARMY.

_~_.

Great complaints have of late been made of the
quality and weight of the bread served out to the
troops in Portsmouth garrison, and in consequence,
since the 19th inst., no less than five Boards have
been assembled to investigate into and report on

the matter. Portions of the bread supplied have
been rejected both for short weight and quality.
Her Majesty's troopship Meg era, having em-
barked the following troops of the Royal Artillery
and the Line yesterday morning, at the Royal
Arsenal pier, sailed thence, at half past 11 a.m., for
Gibraltar. The rank and names of the officers and
detail of the troops, as given in the official return,
are as follows :—Col. Strange; Capts. J. F. E.
Travers,'G. H. Colomb, IL A. Da Vismes, and 0.
W. Holmes; Lieuts. P. C. Whalley, A. B. Brown,
H. T. T. Sandes, W. A. Day, J. M. Alurray,
P. D. Barclay, C. Morley, and C. Tufnell ;
Paymaster W. P. Brisley ; Assist.-Surg. J. M.
Fiddes, M. 8., 18 sergeants, 24 corporals, 7 trum-
peters, and 308 private, belonging to the 6th, 7th,
and Bth batteries of the Ist Brigade Royal Artil-
lery ; 1 officer's'. servant not a soldier, 28 women
and children, and 36 children belonging to the Bth
Foot ; Ensign Carleton, 25th Foot; Lieut. F. W
Benwell, 100th Foot, and .1 woman belonging to the
7th Regiment—making a total of 463 persons.

BRUTAL TTEJIPT TO .ItIURDER‘ A

I%l' ..114 L L'.
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A short, thick-built, young fcilow, about 18 years
of age, who gave the name of Frederick Strugnell,
and described, himself as a butcher, residing at 1,
Alma-terrace, Thornhill-road; Islington, was placed
at :the bar or. the Cletkenwell Police-court,-beforc
Mr. Barker, charged with boing concerned with
others, not in custody, in stealing an iron chest,
containing £lO5, the moneys of Mr. George Hig-
gins, butcher, of 47, Chapel street, Islington ; and
further with murderously assaulting Mary Ann
Redkison at the same time and place. _

Long before the usual hour for opening the court,
the front of the building was besieged with persons
anxious to gain admission. The cause of this ex-
citement was a rumour that an attempt had been
made to murder a female at Islington on the night
before. The unfortunate female was taken to the
Royal Free Hospital, Gray's Inn-road, last night
in an insensible state, when she was at once at-
tended to by Mr. John Daniel Hill, the house sur-
geon. That gentleman found her suffering from an
extensive lacerated and incised wound of the nose
and forehead. The nose was smashed into the
face, the bones being completely broken to pieces,
and Mr. Hill removed several pieces that were
hanging to the flesh and skin. There were also
two other incised wounds, one on the fore-
head penetrating the skull, and very dangerous ;the
other was at the back of the head, but not of so
dangerous a character. On the wrist of the left arm
there was an incised wound, and also one on the
forefinger of the left hand. Mr. Hill stated that
when she was admitted she presented a very ghastly
appearance, was insensible from loss of blood, and
although she rallied in the course of the night, she
was still in imminent danger.
Mr. George Higgins was the first witness exa-
mined. He said—l am a butcher, carrying on busi-
ness at 17, Chapel-street, Islington. I have known
the prisoner for about three years. He was in
my service about two years and a half since, and
worked for me about a month at Christmas. I saw
him last about five weeks since, when he came and
asked me to give him a character to get another
situation, which I consented to do. Last night,
about ten o'clock, I returned home, and found an
immense mob in front of my house. I went inside,
and found that my servant, Mary Ann Redkinson,
had been wounded on the head, nose, arms, and
hands. She was immediately taken to the hospital.
On the bed at the hospital she stated to me that the
prisoner had been in the house, and had injured her.
I gave information to the police, and they took the
prisoner into custody. I have missed a chest with a
cash-boacontaining £lO5, besides a number of rings,
and other articles of some value, as well as a bank
book. All the things stolen were kept in the first-
floor front. From what I have heard I believe that
the prisoner is concerned with others in committing
the felony and wounding the woman. I have not
seen the prisoner since I gave him the character,
but he was seen at my house three weeks ago.
The prisoner said he did not wish to ask the
witness any questions, but he should like to make a
statement to exculpate himself from this charge.
Mr. Barker cautioned the prisoner that what he
did say would be taken down in writing, and might
be used against him at the trial.
The prisoner, who treated the matter with the
greatestindifference, said—l shall make a statement.
About three weeks ago I met this young woman, and
she asked me to come and see ;ler some Sunday.
Well, I went last evening to see her, and stayed
there some time talking to her in the back kitchen.
1 then went and fetched a drop of gin. We stayed
talking in the back kitchin after this for about half
an hour, when she said she heard some one talking
in the street, and thought the street door must be
open. We went to see, and the door was wide
open. She said some one was in the house. We
went up stairs to see, and we could plainly see that
some one had been there. We then came down
stairs, and she said she was going for a policeman.
Before we got to the bottom of the stairs some one
came running down. That person was amh an,
ouise
man struck her, and I ran out of t e h
frightened. That is all I have to say.
Mr. Higgins—Perhaps you will say how you got
out of the house.
-fia.otnitt aosr.th aAt, st
hie was
knowth%Ne,h
ran home and got my clean
clothes,struckfr 'The
hhteemeaden prisoner—From
S dv.iotTbent back to my place, where 1 re-
mained until I was apprehended this morning.
Police-constable Tomkins, 315 N, said—l received
information of this robbery and outrage, and I went
to the prisoner's master's in Basinghall-street.
told the prisoner the charge and cautioned him. I
said I have come about the robbery at Mr. Higgins's,
in Chapel-street, and I asked him if he had been
there, and he said-" No, I have not been there." I
'liked him if he was positive, and he said " Yes, I
have not been there." I then asked to look at the
Things he had on, but I found no marks of blood on
them. I then took him to the police-station, and
going along he said he was never near • the place.
He knew nothing about it, for he was at the time
with hiS mother, and had been so since he left his
master's, in Dasinghall-street, until a quarter-pass