The Sun.
London, England, 1850-07-24 00:00:00

LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JULY 24, 1850.

of 14 feet 2 inches, and at the conclusion of the experi-
ments was left at Sheerness Dockyard to be made ready
for St a.

fields, where he apprehended four more of the prisoners,
and found a further quantity of the stolen property in
their possession. On asking what they had done with
the rest of the property, they denied all knowledge of it;
but the owner of the house, who was standing by, im-
mediately delivered up the prosecutor's writing-desk and
three coats belonging to him, which be said the priso-
ners hod given him to take care of. The remainder of
the prisoners were subsequently discovered secreted
under some arches in Commercial-street, and upon the
persons of each of them, with only one exception, other
portions of the booty were found.
Neither of the prisoners attempted t 3 deny the charge,
and the whole listened to the evidence against them with
the most imperturbable hardihood.
Mr. HAMMILL said that it was lamentable to witness
such an exhibition of depravity by persons of such an
age; but as the case had been clearly established against
them ho should order the whole of them to be committed
until that day week, with the exception of the boy
Cardon, whom he was reluctant to send to prison on
account of his extreme youth, and the prisoner Scrim),
against whom the evidence was not of so conclusive a
character.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.
HOME CIRCUIT.—Lewes, July 23.
The commission for the county of Sussex was opened
yesterday. There are twenty causes for trial on the
civil side, three of which aro special jury cases. On the
criminal side there are forty prisoners for trial. The
Lord Chief Baron presided this morning on the Crown
side, and Mr. Justice Erie at Nisi Prius.
CROWN COURT.—(Before the LORD CHIEF BARON.)
Mary Hardwick, a miserable-looking creature, was
indicted for feloniously casting her child into the sea at
Brighton, with intent co murder it.
Mr. Creasy conducted the prosecution. The prisoner
had no counsel.

It appeared from the testimony of two witnesses that
on Saturday last the prisoner was seen by a man named
March, standing with a child in her arms near the Cus-
tom-house at Brighton, and she suddenly ran down to
the sea and threw the child into the water, and then
jumped in herseif. March immediately ran into the
water, and havine., fortunately succeeded in laying hold
of the child, he brought' it to the shore, end then went a
second time into the water and brought out the woman.
The child, it appeared, very soon recovered, but the pri-
soner was insensible, and it was a considerable time
before she was restored to consciousness. A man was
up )n the spot, who was represented to be the husband of
the prisoner; and, according to the testimony of the
witnesses, after the melancholy transa?,tion had taken
place, he was very violent, and abused her, and ex-
pressed a desire that she should have destroyed herself.
The poor woman during the trial appeared hardly to be
aware of the character of the offence she was charged
with, and she was evidently suffering most acutely.
When she was called upon for her defence she ex-
pressed herself to be ignorant of what had happened.
The jury found her Guilty, but recommended her to
mercy, and judgment was deterred.

SOUTHWARK.
CHARGE OF ARSON.—George Arnott, the son of an
extensive hair-manufacturer, iu the Grove, S puthwark,
and David Welch, one of his workmen, were brought
before Mr. A'Beckett, charged with setting fire to the
premises of Mr. John Jefferys, iron-founder, and pro-
prietor of the Grove Iron Foundry, in the Grove, Great
Guildford-street, Southwark.
Mr. Jefferys stated that he loft his premises perfectly
safe about ten o'clock on the previous night. There was
at that time no fire lighted in the foundry. When he
arrived on the following morning he discovered a quan-
tity of charred wood and burnt bhavings in the model-
room, and from the position in which they were placed
he was astonished that the whole of the warehouse was

not burnt down. The property in the warehouse con-
sisted of models, tools, and other property, valued at
nearly 20,0001. He afterwards heard that the prisoners
had been on the premises at the time the fire was disco-
vered, and from those circumstances he gave them into
custody.
Mr. ATECKETT —Have you any witness who can
state that the prisoners were near the spot?
Elizibeth Higgett was called by the prosecutor, and
stated that a little after eleven o'clock on the previous
night she went into the yard at the rear of Mr.
Jefferys's premises, when she saw flames in
the model-house. She instantly called her master,
when the flames were rushing out of the factory
windows.
Mr. A'BEckErr —Were the flumes very high? Wit-
ness—Yes, sir, they were, and I was fearful that our
house might catch fire.
Mr. A'BECILETT—Did you see either of the prisoners
in the place where the fire took place? Witness—Yes,
I saw Arnott enter the model-house and throw pieces of
wood on the fire rear the foundry. She then saw the
other man there, when Arnott took the wood from the
pile and threw it about the room.
The prisoners here declared that they were on the
premises, but merely to put the fire out.
Mr. Daniel Eades, builder, in Ewer-street, Southwark,
stated that his timber-yard was at the back of Mr. Jef-
ferya's premises. About-eleven o'clock on the previous
night he saw a fire issuing from the foundry. He in-
stantly proceeded to the yard, and saw two men (whom
he believed to be the prisoners) coming out of the foun-
dry. He hailed them, when they said they had merely
put the fire out.

WESTERN CIRCUIT.—Dorchester, July 22.

CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. GURNEY, -Q.C.)
Charles Swyer was indicted for setting fire to a stack
of hay, the property of Edward Head, at Troxwortb, on
the 19th of March.

Mr. Ffooks conducted the case for the prosecution.
On the 19th of March the prisoner was at the relieving
officer's at Blandford, and there he met a young man
named Williams, who stated to him that he was going to
Plymouth to look after work. The prisoner said he was
going to Dorchester, and therefore they had better walk
together. They proceeded on their road, and when they
were tired they sat down under a rick. The prisoner
drew from his pocket a match-box, and said, "I will set
fire to the rick for a lark," and he actually did so, and
then he walked away, and the rick was entirely burnt.
The prisoner went on and was followed by Williams, who
told the first persons he met what had been done; and the
prisoner was taken into custody.
The prisoner was convicted, and sentenced to seven
years' transportation.
The only reason for mentioning this case is to allude
to one circumstance connected with it. When before the
magistrates, Williams was not able to produce sureties
for his appearance at the assizes to give evidence against
the prisoner, and therefore he was committed to prison,
where he has remained from the 19th of March to the
22d of July. This would appear rather cruel; at the
same time, perhaps, no other mode could be adopted. It
is, however, to be hoped that the poor fellow was treated
with all the kindness a prison would permit.

Mr. A'BECKETT—Can you swear the prisoners are
.hose men? Witness—l cannot. I did not see their

MIDLAND CIRCUIT.—NoWngliam, July 23.
The Commission was opened this morning by Mr.
Baron Platt, who arrived from Lincoln at ten o'clock.

faces, or distinguish their faces.
Edward Johnson, 63 M, said he was called by the last
witness to go into the foundry. He saw a blaze, and
called out who was there. Two persons called out,
"We are putting out the fire." He asked them
afterwards !Oat they did there, when they replied that
they had been drying some moulds, which caused the
flames. Witness then entered the premises, but the men
had escaped.
Alexander Frazer, clerk to the prosecutor, stated that
he lived on the premises in the Grove. Mr. Jefferys
left at ten o'clock, and after he was gone witness went
over the factory, and found that all was safe. He then
went to bed, and a little after eleven he was alarmed by
cries of "Fire'," and on descending to the lower part of
the house some person called out that some men had set
fire to the foundry. Ile immediately went there, and
found a quantity of frames and planks piled up, partially
on fire. They were placed in such a manner that unless
warning had been given, the whole place must have been
burnt down.

_
His Lordship, after attending Divine service, proceeded
to try the town prisoners. The Lord Chief Justice re-
mains at Lincoln to try the last cause, which was was a
feigned issue under the Tithe Commutation Act, de-
pending principally upon a question of law.
The calendar fur the county contains the names of 27
prisoners, including several charged with serious offences;
2 with arson, 2 with cutting and wounding, 2 with man-
slaughter, and several with robberies and burglaries.
On the Civil hide there will not be more than three or
four causes to try.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Baron PLATT.)
George Toms was indicted for manslaughter.
Mr. W. H. Adams appeared for the prosecution.
It appeared that the prisoner, on the 23d April last,
had been engaged in a fight with the deceased, Henry
Flowers, in the Nottingham meadows, and that Flowers
had been killed by a blow given by the prisoner. On
the part of the prisoner the fight had been conducted
with perfect fairness, and he had been greatly provoked
by the deceased both before the fight commenced and
during its continuance; until the last round the deceased
appeared to have had the advantage, and was actually
taunting the prisoner, and singing, " Meet me by moon-
light alone," when be received the blow which immedi-
ately knocked him down, and on the Thursday following
occasioned his death.
The jury found the prisoner Guilty, but recommended
him to mercy.
He bad been In custody about a month, and
The Learned JurGE sentenced him to a further im-
prisonment of three days.

Mr. ATECKETT—Can yen throw any light upon who
set fire to the place ? Witness—l cannot ; but am
sure no stranger could have done it. The fence is
very high, and the only entrance is by Mr. Arnott's
premises. There is a hole there which has been recently
broken.

Arnott here exclaimed that he lived in the adjoining
premises, and was it likely that he should set fire to
the prosecutor's place ? His father actually hired hot
water from Mr. Jefferys, and his property was equally
valuable.

Squires, a constable of the M division, produced the
charred wood, which Mr. Jefferys identified as portions
of models, which had evidently been packed up by in-
cendiaries. It is quite clear that the entrance was from
Mr. Arnott's premises.
Arnott replied that they had been to the theatre, and
after they had come home they saw a fire in Mr.
Jefferys' foundry. They immediately jumped through
the fence and put the fire out.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT:—York, July 22.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice CitEsswELL.)
Julia Grady was indicted for feloniously stabbing
James Owen, on the 2911 of April, at Hull.
Mr. Digby Seymour was tor the prosecution; Mr.
Dearsley appeared for the prisoner.
The occurrence arose out of a " shindy" after an
Irish funeral at Hull. Thu prisoner and some friends
had returned from the cemetery where her deceased
sister had be en buried on the day in question, and the
prosecutor having gone to the window of her house, and
made use of some insulting language, a disturbance took
place, and in the course of a general scuff) ) the prisoner
brought a large carving knife, with which she inflicted
two severe wounds in the face of the prosecutor.
Mr. DEARSLEY addressed the jury for the prisoner,
and called a witness for the defence to disprove the
charge.

Mr. ATECHETT said he had heard sufficient to war-
rant his remanding them. They maid they were ex-
tinguishing the fire, but some of the witnesses proved
otherwise, therefore he should remand them until Fri-
day next.

LAMBETH.
A BURGLAR SlloT.—Yesterday James Carpenter, a
thick-set fellow, who refused to give any account of
himself; and who bad been in custody since the morn-
ing of the 10th instant, was placed at the bar before
Mr. Norton, on the following charge of burglary:—
From the evidence adduced in this case it appeared
that on the morning of the 10th instant, Mr. Thomas
Joseph Green, a surgeon, residing in Ivy Cottage, High-
street, Peckham, was awoke at about three o'clock by
hearing the voices of persons in the lower part of his
house, and suspecting the party to be thieves, he armed
himself with a loaded pistol, aad proceeded down
stairs, He first went into the kitchen, where he found
all right; but on going into the washhouse he,
found everything in a state of confusion, and
was convinced that there were thieves on the premises.
He (Mr. Green) then drew the window-curtains on one
side, and seeing two men outside, one standing on each
side of the window, he fired the pistol, and saw the man
standing on the left hand side fall, and subsequently saw
some blood where he had fallen. The prisoner and the
wounded man, who, with his companion, effected their
escape from the premises, were taken on the same morn-
ing in the Kent road, while the prisoner was holding
the head of his companion, who was bleeding at the
time from a wound in the neck. The constable who se-
cured them asked how the wound had been inflicted, and
the prisoner said his friend had been shot from behind
the hedge by some person they did not know.
Joseph Brady, a constable, 100 P, deposed that on the
night in question he saw the prisoner and the wounded
man, whose name is Everett, and who is at present at
Guy's Hospital, loitering about his beat, which is close to
the residence of Mr. Green. Ho spoke to them about
eleven o'clock, and told them that if they did not go
about their business be should take them into custody.
Witness was quite certain the prisoner and the man at
the hospital were the persons he had spoken to.
The servant-maid of the prosecutor said that on the
night of the robbery she had bolted and made secure the
kitchen and washhouse doers; but, on coming down on the
following morning, she saw that two small panes of glass
were taken out of the washhouse window, and these would
enable a person from the outside to undo the bolts and
fastenings of the door. She also found a basket belong-
ing to her mistress lying close to the place where there
were marks of blood, and in it were several articles
which had been removed from the washhouse.
In reply to the questions of the Magistrate, the
constables who have charge of the case said it was the
opinion of the medical officer at Guy's Hospital that
Everett would be sufficiently recovered to attend on
that day week, and the prisoner, who declined saying
anything in his defence, was remanded until Tuesday
next.

The, jury returned a verdict of Guilty of a common
assault.

John M'Gibbon, a merchant, residing at Hull, and for-
merly in partnership with W. Galbraith, was indicted
for having forged and uttered u bill of exchange for 871.,
with intent to defraud Messrs. Raikes, Currie, and Co.,
banker►, in London. The prisoner was convicted on
Saturday last of a similar offence, and there were now
five other indictments against him for forging bills to
the amount of 1,000/.

Mr. OVEREND conducted the prosecution.
Mr. DEARSLEY, who was counsel to the prisoner, said
that he had advised the prisoner to withdraw his plea,
and plead guilty. He had been requested by the prisoner,
also, to withdraw an imputation which he had on a pre-
vious day thrown on Mr. Galbraitb,:,ormerly in partner-
ship with the prisoner, and to say that he was in no way
connected with the forgeries.
The Learned JUDGE sentenced the prisoner to trans-
portation for 15 years. This terminated the criminal
business.

His Lordship then proceeded with some Nisi Prius
eausec.

CIVIL SlDE.—(Before Mr. Justice WIGIITMAN and a
Special Jury.)
PEARSON V. PAIRBURN.
This was an issue directed by the Lord Chancellor to
ascertain whether, on the 11th of January last, there
was a partnership subsisting between the plaintiff and
the defendant.
Mr. Martin, Q C., Mr. Atherton, and Mr. Sykes were
for the plaintiff; Sir P. Thesiger (on a special retainer),
Sir. Knowles, Q C., and Mr. Hugh Hill were for the
defendant.
The plaintiff, in 1837, proposed to the defendant, who
was an overlooker in a factory, that they should go into
partnership. They agreed to do so, and both jointly
took a lease of Fairnley Mill, from Lord Dartmouth, for
21 years. The defendant found the capital for the ma-
chinery. He was to be paid 5 per cent. on his capital
out of the profits, and the remainder was to be divided
between them. The plaintiff was to receive 30a. a week,
a cottage, and grass for a cow. The partnership con-
tinued till January, 1850, when the defendant gave the
plaintiff notice of dissolution. For the plaintiff it was
contended that the partnership was to last for the term
for which Lord Dartmouth had granted the lease to the
partners. For the defendant it was urged that the part-
nership was merely to subsist during
the pleasure of the
defendant.

Several witnesses having been called, the case was by
agreement settled.
Tho defendant agreed to pay the plaintiff 3001. for his
costs, 4001. in consideration of his interest in the part-
nership, and to give him an indemnity.
Mr. Justice Wightman was occupied the remainder of
the day with a water-course ease.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
WORSHIP-STREET.
A GANG OF JUVENILE BURGLARS.—TweIve ragged
and abandoned-looking young urchins, named David
Cardun, John Smith, James Stevens, James Shipley,
George Wood, William Dudley, Thomas. Galloway,
Thomas Burdett, George Evans, Thomas Williams,
George Scriveo, and William Davis, the youngest of
whom was only eight years of age, were placed at the
bar, before Mr. Hammill, charged with having burgle-
riously broken into the premises of Mr. Morris Myers, a
wholesale general merchant in Wentworth-street, White-
chapel, and stolen a mahogany writing desk, a quantity
of sheeting and wearing
apparel, and various other mis-
cellaneous articles.
It appeared in evidence, that at seven o'clock on the
preceding evening the doors and windows of the ware-
house were properly secured by one of the prosecutor's
servants, named Dickman, who was left in charge of the
premises, on reaching which, at six oclock the next
morning, it was discovered by one of the workmen that
a portion of the glass and framework of a first-floor
wiado v, communicating with one of the store-rooms, bad
been shattered to pieces, leaving a sufficient aperture for
the admission of the thieves, who had completely rau.
sacked the place and carried off a considerable quantity
of property. Information of the robbery was imme-
diately communicated to Sergeant Whiteford, of the H
division, who in the course of his, inquiries received ic-
formation which induced him to proceed to a notorious
haunt for young thieves, in Plough-street, Whitechapel,
on entering which he found in a lower room the priso-
ners Dudley, Evans, and Shipley, stooping over a strong
fire, on which was laced a large iron pot, containing a
quantity of pewter, which they were in the act of melt-
ing down. One of the prosecutors servants, who ac-
companied the sergeant, at once identified the contents
of the pot, which were efilY partially fused, as his
master's property; and upon searching the room a quan-
tity of sheeting and brass-work was discovered,
which was also recognised as a further portion of the
plunder. The articles in question were secured by the
sergeant, and conveyed with the prisoners to the f trAtiOn"
I house; and he afterwards proceeded to another receptacle
of the same description in Lower Keate-street,

FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT AT
BMSTOL.

BRISTOL, JULY 23.—Yesterday evening a most an-
palling accident happened in our Floating Harbour, by
which several lives have 'been sacrificed and a large
number of persons seriously wounded. The facts of
. this distressing occurrence,which has created the utmost
excitement and consternation in the city, are as follow:
For the last nine or ten months several small steamers
have been placed in the floating harbour by different
cptnpanies taking passengers to and fro between the
Stone-bridge and the Hotwells, One of these, and the
vessel to which the unfortunate accideneoccurred, was
called the Red Rover; she was built at Waterford, and
belonged to Mr. David Robertson Anderson; she was
from 48 to 50 feet long, and 8/1 wide. At half-past
eight o'clock yesterday evening she was lying off Raw-
ling's Wharf, waiting tai take up a number of passengers
who had just arrived from Portishead in the Portishead
packet. There were about fifty passengers on board,
and several others were in the act of proceeding towards
the Red Rover when a terrific explosion was heard, ac-
companied by fearful shrieks. An immense cloud of
steam hung over the ill-fetid vessel for a few moments,
and when it cleared allay a tire:Alai scene was pre-
stilted to vies. The ill-fated passengers bad been
scattered in every direction, and a largo number
were observed struggling in the water. Several
wherries instantly rowed to the spot, and succeeded
in picking up many of them. Flies were also imme
diately procured, and the wounded persons as fast as
possible conveyed to the Bristol Infirmary. Six b )(lies
were taken out quite dead, their names are—lsaac

West, a musician) Robert Posey, son of a mason; Henry
Starr, a mariner; Samuel Jefferies, a horse keeper is
the employ of Mr. Young, of Cli:ton; and two little
girls, also named Jefferies. A large crowd collected and
much confusion prevailed for some time, owing to the
lamentations anGl shrieks of a large number of women
present. In addition to the persons conveyed to the infir-
mary, several respectable gentlemen, who were much
hurt, were conveyed to their private residences, prefer-
ring the services of their ordinary medical attendants.
Some of these are also since dead; two more have died
at the infirmary, and some serious operations have had
to be undergone. Amon the severely injured were the
captain and engineer and the stoker of the Red Rover.
So loud was the explosion that it was not only heard at
all parts of the basin, but at the dock-master's house,
and at the nursery of Messrs. Garraway, Mayes, and
Co., a distance of more than a mile. Portions of
the boiler were thrown with such force that
a large piece fell on the tiles of a house in
Avon-crescent, another in Rawlings-yard, and a third
piece was carried across the water, and fell in
the yard of Mr. Bennett, contractor to the Bristol
and Exeter Railway. The owner, Mr. Anderson, and
his wife were on board at the time. Mrs. Anderson was
in the cabin. and Mr. Anderson was standing at the en-
trance of the cabin stairr. He was knocked into the
water, but retained sufficient presence of mind to pull
Mrs. Anderson afterwards through the cabin window.
and she escaped with the exception of an injury to her
side. A servant of Mr. Venus had two children on
board with her; one has been conveyed to the infirmary
much injured, and the other is still missing. Mr. Hum-
page, surgeon, and his wi'e, had a narrow escape, as
just before the accident they were going on board the
Red Rover, but Mrs. Humpage said she would rather
wait and go up in a boat that was not so crowded. The
following are the names and the nature of the injuries of
those who were conveyed to the Bristol Infirmary :
Will.am Bailey, fracture of both legs. William Paddy,
the captain of the steamer, both legs fractured—one so
severely that, if he can bear it, it will he amputated.
William Brewer, fracture of both legs. Francis Lucas,
fractured leg. Charles Keating, son of Mr. Keating,
chymist, Clifton; this young man is since dead. Eliza
Pelford very severely scalded, Eliza Pelford, daughter of
the above, also very severely scalded. Thomas Venn,
severely scalded. Charlotte Eliza Hodge, severely
scalded. Martha Hemmings, severely scalded. Mary
Ann Dursden, both legs fractured. Samuel Edwards,
severely scalded. Ellen Hodge, legs fractured. William
Cooper, severely injured in the head and very severely
scalded. W. Nichols, the engineer. This poor fellow
is since dead. David Lewis, stoker, very severely
scalded. Thomas White, leg fractured, Maria Haynes,
contused forehead. There were taken to their own
homes, as far as can be gathered,—Mr. A. N. Landon,
builder, of Old Market street; ono leg fractured besides
other severe injuries. John Langdon, his son; concussion
of the brain. This case is considered hopeless. Mr. J. D.
Weston, (son-in-law of Mr. Langdon), ironmonger, of
Castle-street ; the bones of the face and temporal bona
fractured, also very severely scalded. Mr. T. Penton,
junior, clerk of the market, severely scalded and other-
wise bruised.

The scene at the infirmary was for some hours a
most distressing one ; the news of the accident soon
spread, and the doors were perfectly besieged by per-
sons inquiring after missing relative 3. Every informa-
tion possible was afforded to allay their anx'ety.
An inquest had been commenced on the dead bodies,
but after evidence as to identity had been gone into it
was adjourned until to-morrow.