The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-24 00:00:00

THAMES POLICE.

Thursday John Jackson, a waterman, belonging to
the Lower Custom-house-stairs was brought before
Mr. Ballantine, on a charge of smuggling 41bs. of
foreign manufactured tobacco.

The case was a somewhat remarkable one. The
prisoner was seen by a river inspector, named Joshua
Judge, leaving the Earl of Liverpool steamer, off Pickle-
herring wharf, Horselydown, and, suspecting he had
smuggled goods about him, called upon him to stop,
which he refused to do, and rowed away as hard as
he was able. Judge directed his men to give way,
and they pulled after him. The prisoner, however,
had a very light short boat, and got ahead of the
police galley ; but happening to get athwart hawse of
a Mooring-chain, brought him up all standing. The
police galley bore down upon him, and he got away
again, and " dodged" the river police among the
tiers of vessels for some time, when he suddenly left
off rowing, and put his hand inside his bosom for the
purpose of removing some tobacco concealed there.
Judge called out to him that it would be the worse
for him if he threw anything overboard, and away he
rowed again. The police galley continued the chase,',
came up NI ith his boat, and Judge boarded him, and'
found seven jppers of compressed tobacco secreted
about his persoß.
The prisoner g-defence was, that some man he did
not know gave him the tobacco to carry ashore, to
some place he could not name. • -
Mr. BALLANTINE fined the prisciiiir 505., and in
default of payment sentenced him to 14 days'
im-
priuonment.

-- ---
I CHICKEN MANUFACTORY.—Nature is getting su-
perfluous. We rather think she will soon be voted out of
fashion, and dispensed with. There's a chap just over our
Publication-office hatching chickens in a big box, fifty a
days having a thousand eggs always doing. The trou-
ble of attending them is slight ; the heat costs very little;
and the chickens crack their shells and walk up to their
dough and water like wood-choppers to their dinner, or
sailors to their grog. They are, clean, strong, and lively ;•
grow fast, and rarely dio (not being draggled through
the grass) ; and whoever has a hatching machine can
have "Spring Chickens" every week ia the year, and at-
small expense: If we could -only invent a raabihki fi
Tent.
6n
o lay Tribune.
e.
eggs, now, hens would be done witb.—New yv

WESTMINSTER SESSIONS.
Yesterday the adjourned qur,7ter sessions for the
city and liberties- of Westminster was held at the
Court-house, Broad Sanctuary. The Court was
much crowded, in consequence of .its being imagined
that this would be the last sessions which would be
held -in the Broad Sanctuary, on account of the
junction of the sessions for Westminster and Middle-
sex at Hicks's Hall, Clerkenwell-green, under the
new Prisons Act.
TREASURY PROSECUTIONS.—Two most respectable-
looking men, who carried on extensive business as
tradesmen in the Vauxhall-road, named Thomas
Meadows and Robert Hill, were indicted for violently
assaulting William Robert Anstell, a constable of the
B division of the metropolitan police force.
The-prosecution, which was instituted at the in-
stance of the Treasury, was conducted by Mr.
Adolphus, Mr. Bodkin, and Mr. Doane; and Mr.
Clarkson, with whom was Mr. WTylde, appeared for
the defence. Perhaps there were fewer cases ever tried
in this Court in which the evidence, which extended
from half-past ten until near seven o'clock, was more
contradictory.

Mr. BODKIN, in stating the case for the prosecu-
tion, said this was a case of sufficient moment to call
for the intervention of a Treasury, or special Govern-
ment prosecution, instead of leaving it to the ordinary
and less certain course. On the evening of the 13th
of May last, the two prisoners, accompanied by Mrs.
Meadows, were passing along Vauxhall-bridge-road,
Meadows being, at the time, in a very drunken and
excited state, when they overtook the constable, An-
stell, who was on duty at the time. Some months
previous to this Meadows had a dispute with the con-
stable, since which time he entertained an angry feel-
ing towards Anstell. Hill, who was perfectly sober,
requested the constable to take Meadows, but he re-
plied it was contrary to his duty to do so, all he was
allowed to do with a drunken man was to see him to
the station-house. Meadows,-upon this, contrary to
the entreaties and endeavours of his wife, rushed at
Anstell, knocked him down, and, while lying on the
ground, kicked him violently in a vital part of his
person, and otherwise inflicted severe injuries upon
him.' After considerable exertion, the constable got
upon his feet, and other policemen arriving, they
tried to take him to the station-house, but such was
his violence, kicking and biting all around him, that
they had to send for an additional reinforcement from
the station-house. They then placed him on a truck,
after strapping all his limbs, and wheeled him to the
lock-up, where he struck several of those around him.
The Learned Counsel then called about twenty-
five witnesses, amongst whoni were nine policemen,
in support of his statement. After which,
Mr. CLARKSON addressed the jury, and stated that
it was his client, Hill, who had here most right to
complain. The object in mixing him up in the in-
dictment was to prevent Meadows from having the
advantage of his evidence as a witness. He thought
the jury_ and the country could not sufficiently
strongly mark their reprehension of the system of
dignifying every little common assault into a Go-
vernment prosecution. Besides, they should recollect
the vast expense which it entailed upon the country,
by all the Unnecessary and cumbrous machinery of
Treasury solicitors first-rate 'counsel, Stc. In the
present instance the conduct of the police had been
gross and brutal in the extreme ; they •had dragged
the unfortunate man along, the gravelled way on his
face, like a dead dog, instead of rendering him that
assistance which his helpless condition, and the en-
treaties of Mrs. Meadows, would suggest to the mind
of any man of ordinary feeling. As for Mr.
Meadows assaulting the policeman in the manner
described'by Mr. Bodkin, it was preposterous, for he
was a diminutive man, while the constable stood
about
.six feet high.
Evidence was then called in support of his state-
ment, and in refutation of the witness for the pro-
secution.

The merits of both sides may be best guessed
at by the verdict of the jury, which was one of Ac-
quittal in favour of Hill, and of Guilty with respect
to Meadows.

The COURT sentenced the latter to two months' im-
prisonment, with hard labour.
The names of no less than twenty persons ap•
peared in the calendar for trial to-day, upon an in-
dictment charging them with having committed a
violent assault upon Henry Maynard on the 26th of
July. The facts of the ease, which have been
already before the public, arose out of an attempt
on the part of one of the steam-boat companies
which ply upon the river to pull down the pier
estabiLlhed, by a rival company, for the purpose of
landing their passengers, adjacent to Temple-bar,
and which attempt caused considerable excitement
and alarm in the neighbourhood, in consequence of
the conduct of a gang of long-shore-men who were
engaged in the attempt.
Owing to the pressure of other businesi, and the
number of witnesses likely to be 'examined on both
sides, it was deemed advisable to postp )ne the hearing
until the 12th of September, the last day of sessional
sittings'in Westminster Court-house.

TILE STAMP RETURNS.—:Aftei the passing of the
Reform 13111, the Times newspaper, acting upon its pro-
fessed declaration of considering that enactment as a
measure of finality, by slow degrees took up the advo-
cacy of Conservative principles, in which course it has
since consistently persevered, with what advantage to
the party and with what benefit to the country it is un-
necessary for us here to discuss. It became bruited
abroad that such a line of political advocacy had in•
jured the interests of the journal—that, having ceased to
run with ,the current of what was conceived to be public
opinion, it had deteriorated in character, and declined in
circulation.. Perhaps it was not unreasonable that such
a report should find circulation, and obtain credence ;
and those who wished it true were disposed to believe it.
Two objects were to be attained by proving this fact, if
such it were, to the world. The first .the ruin of the
journal in question, which was sure to. be a consequence
of the exposure ; and next, an accession of strength to
the Ministry, by showing that the opposition to their
policy, so ably evinced by the Times, had destroyed its
influence by decreasing its circulation. One mode sug-
gested itself to the prolific mind of Mr. Spring Rice, the
then Chancellor of the Exchequer, by which both those
important objects could be achieved—move, quoth he to
himself, for the number of stamps issued to each journal
in the empire fur given periods—the returns to be made
up quarterly—and the thing is done. This was a pro-
ceeding against which the Whigs—whether in power
or in opposition—had hitherto set their faces. But
the exigency was extreme—the Times was to be
crushed, and the politics of the Government jus-
tified—and the thing was done. But the precedent
being once established, the returns from thenceforward
could not be withheld, even though the result of the
move was diametrically opposite to that which had been
anticipated ; and accordingly the issue of stamps con-
tinued (alas how reluctantly, but still relentlessly) to be
published at stated periods, as a Parliamentary paper' so
long as the Whigs held office. On the accession of Sir
Robert Peel to power. the practice was persevered in ;
but at the close of this session, Mr. Goulburn, acting
upon the converse of Mr. Spring Rice's proposition, and
finding that the two papers in England, and one in this
country, which advocate the policy of the present Go-
vernment, lead so forfeited political confidence, and so
fallen off in• general circulation, that it was essential so
unerring an indication of public opinion, and one so da-
maging and so damning to the Ministry, should be con-
cealed, discontinued the publication of the Stamp-office
returns—and the barometer that indicated with too fatal
a certainty the variations of public opinion, and the rise
And fall of Cabinets and statesmen, was withdrawn from
the philosophic gaze of a too scrutinising generation. The
Evening Mail and journals of the same independent
spi.'it, which have had the probity and the courage to
decry and denounce a cowardly and treacherous system
of policy, ungrateful to our party, and fraught with ruin
to the country, will be losers, to a certain extent, by the
cessation of periodical advertisements (for as such the
stamp, returns operated) by which their position might
be estimated and their progress marked : but the paltry
device at concealment, and the palpable reason for dis-
continuing the publication of the returns, are too appa-
rent to make us apprehensive of any serious injury being
inflicted by the cessation of the practice.—Dublin Even-
ireg
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT THE MAIDENHEAD STA-,
TIO/C—A destrnctive fire broke out in a range of stabling
within the yard of the Great Western Railway'istation
at Maidenhead, in the middle of the day, on Tuesday
last, which it is strongly feared was not occasioned by
merely accidental means. The flames, when first dis-
covered, burst forth with inconceivable rapidity, and
within less than half an hour afterwards the whole
building, which was composed of wood• covered with
slate, was a heap of burning ruins. There were twelve
horses in the stable at the time, eight of which were for-
tunately rescued, after considerable difficulty, without
sustaining any damage. Three horses, which obstinately
resisted every ".effort to extricate them, were literally
burnt almost to a cinder. Their cries and moans while
they were undergoing the horrid torture of being abso-
lutey roasted alive, were distressing in the extreme.
The other poor animal was got out alive, but in so
dreadful a state that it was necessary to kill it imme-
diately afterwards to put it out of its agony. Its eyes
were burnt out of its head, and its body singed and burnt
all over. A beer-house, for the accommodation of pas-
sengers waiting at the station for the train, situated
within not more titan two or three yards from the build-
ing in Whfch 'the fire broke out, and constructed of wood,
most providentially escaped uninjured. The station,
which is an extensive building, and likewise composed of
wood, and within twenty yards of the burning mass, was
fortunately preServed. lied not the wind blown from a
contrary direction, it is more than probable that the
'vhole would have been consumed. The stabling and
horses were the property of Mr. Lovegrove, the pro-
prietor of the Bear Inn, at Maidenhead, who provides
the omnibuses which convey passengers between the
town and the'station. We are informed that the stabling
was only insured as late as Friday last. Mr. Lovegrove,
however, will sustain a loss of upwards of 1001. Had it
slot been for immediate assistance being at hand, not one
of the twelve horses, in consequence of the rapid pro-
gress of the flames, could, by any possibility, have been
)reserved.
CAMBERWELL NEW CHURCIL—This commodious
and magnificent structure is now almost completed, the
further works being rather of an extra description.
The building now presents a most striking appearance; -1
it is situate on the right of the town adjoining Camber-
well-green, and on the road leading to Peckham.

CORONER'S INQUEST.

SUICIDE.-At a few minutes after six o'clock on Wed-
nesday morning, a shipwright, in proceeding to his work
at the Deptford Dockyard, had his attention drawn to
two women walking along the towing path of the Grand
Surrey Canal, near Deptford-bridge. Their appearance
at such an early hour, and in a loaality not much fre-
quented, even during the day, excited his suspicions,
and induced him to watch their movements. Scarcely
had five minutes elapsed before they stopped, and
clasping each other's hands, precipitated themselves into
the centre of the canal. He instantly shouted for help,
andwith all speed hastened to the spot, but by the time
he had gained it they had both disappeared. Without
waiting to divest himself-of any of his clothes, he plunged
into that part where he had seen them go down, and
succeeded in grasping one of the unfortunate creatures,
and after much exertion managed to swim ashore a ith
her. Having placed her on the bank, he again dived
under the water, with the hope of regaining the other
unfortunate woman, but after many attempts he failed
in discovering her body. By this time several persons
had come to his assistance, and by their united efforts
effected the resuscitation of the one preserved. The un-
happy girl would have again attempted her life, had not
the police secured her, and for her better protection she
was removed to the Rotherhithe station, where she
stated her name to be Mary Ann Kendall, age,' 20,
residing at Deptford, and that her unfortunate c.m-
panion, who had accomplished her destruction, was her
sister Eliza, 19 years of age. The body of her unhappy
sister was found in the course of the morning, and at one.
oil Thursday an inquest on the body was held at the
Trinity Arms public house, Deptford,when the following
evidence was adduced : •

Richard Edwards, a lighterman, deposed, that on
Wednesday morning, at about twenty minutes past six
o'clock, hearing an alarm that two young women had
thrown themselves into the canal, he jumped into a
boat and rowed to the spot with the drags. On arriving
he found that one had been got out, and was standing
on the bank, held by two men. He then used the drags
and found the body in the course of two hours after-
wards.

Jane Kendall said—l am the sister of the deceased,
and live with my father, at Deptford. I am the eldest
of four girls, and am twenty-four years of age. Eliza
(the deceased) would have been nineteen next month,
and Mary Ann, pointing to her sister, is twenty. My
mother has been dead five years. My father is a ship-
scraper, but has been out of work for some time. The
deceased was a single woman, and the last time I saw
her alive was on Tuesday afternoon, about two o'clock,
when I left her with Mary Ann at home to go for some
work. On my return at four o'clock they had gone out,
leaving word that they had both gone up High-street,
and would soon return. Hours passing by without re-
turning, I began to fear that something had happened
to them, and I went out for the purpose of making in-
quiry about them, and after searching for them till nine
o'clock without finding them, I went home, and being
much fatigued soon went to .bed. On rising the next
morning at half-past six o'clock, I learned that they had
come home in the course of the night, but had gone out
again—a neighbour having seen them leave the house at
about half-past five o'clock. I still feared something
would happen to them, and shortly after Wards a little
girl came running into the house and told me that two
women had jumped into the canal, and from the descrip-
tion she gave me of their dress I was positive they were
my sisters." never knew my.sisters to stop out all night
before.
• The CQRONER.—Do you know any motive that could
have induced them to make away with themselves ?
The witness-merely hung down her head„ and replied'
—I do not. ,
A Juror'-'----If,ns you say, your father was out Of work,
hOw were yOu all supported ? worked
at home, Sir, When we could get anything to do. At best
it was but scanty.
THE CORONER—Pray, what kind of work was it ?
Witness—Slops—,slop shirts, Sir. On them we totally
depended for subsistence, my father and all.'
A Juror—Then how much were you paid for them ?
Witness—Five farthings a piece, Sir ; but sometimes we
got threepenny ones, which required the beit work, out
of which amount we had to purchase the trimmings.
The same Juror—How many of the five-farthing ones
could you make in a day ? Witness—lf we all worked
hard,-Sir,:we could make eight each, but it was very rare
that we could get enough to do.
The CORONER—Then, what is the utmost you can
make a-week at shirt-making ? Witness—lf I stuck to
it, and had as much as I could do, I might earn four
shillings, but I should have to work very hard.
A Juror—Then, how did you manage when you had
not sufficient work ? Witness—What there was wait
divided between my sister Mary Ann and rayserf. The
deceased had not worked for the last week.

The same Juror—Were you in want, then, if the de•
ceased had nothing to do ? Witness—Not in particular
want, Sir ; there was victuals in the house, but I have
known the deceised of late to fast several days.
The ConorrEnllad your sisters'anything to eat nn
the Tuesday before they went out ? Witness—Yes,
Sir, a breakfast.

The ConoriEft-Any dinner ? Witness—No, Sir ;it
was not a usual thing for them to have dinners, as they
could not afford it. All we had was two meals a day,
—breakfast at eight o'clock, and a meal, which we
called supper, at six o'clock in the evening.
A Juror—What rent had you to pay ? Witness-sg.
a week, Sir.
The ConoNmn—What has been the state" of the de-
ceased's mind of late ? Witness—We have all observed
her as being very melancholy. Formerly she was very
cheerful and had an overflow of spirits, but the toil and
privation she had recently undergone had worked a
complete change. -
A Juror here mentioned to the Coroner that he had
heard that the °tit ceased girl had been taken to a police
court a few weeks ago, and had been fined. Ile wished
to know if such was the fact ? The witness said such
was the case.' She had had a quarrel with another
woman and was fined 35., the amount of costs ;
but the magistrate, hearing of her distressed condi-
tion, gave her a fortnight to pay it in. She was not
able to raise the sum, being out of work the whole week,
and on last Wednesday-week a policeman called and
told her that if she did not pay the money by the fol-
lowing Wednesday, she would.go to prison. •
. The juryman who put the question then declared his
opinion that the above threat was the cause of .her de-
stroying herself.-
The witness remarked that she did not think it was
the threat, but another unfortunate affair. She hail
borrowed a trifle from the • rent-Money, and, being
unable to make it up, she pawned some of the shirts in-
trusted to them to make, or their chattels would have
been seized. _

The CORONER adjourned the inquest, in order to
procure other important evidence respecting this dis-
tressing affair.

DQUEEN'S PutsoN.—On Thursday an
inquest was s TlLEtalsield before Mr. W. Payne, in the Queen's
Prison, on the body of Mr. William Dormer Gilbert,
aged 63, the well-known optician, formerly of Leaden-
hall-street. Mr. Thomas-bilorton, of Woburn-place, the
surgeon to the prison, stated that the, deceased was
brought to the'prison on the 23d of July, and witness
saw him the following morning. He was suffering from
, under which he said he had been
cancerlabouringof
thefor n
bowels, under
His stomach was in such a
state that he rejected all food, and he was quite worn
out. The case was an entirely hopeless one. He died
about one on. Tuesday last, from the effects of the disease
His death arose entirely from natural causes. Mr.
Welch, the deceased's solicitor, said he had received the
kindest treatment in the prison, and was allowed to re-
main in the receiving- ward. He had lately got involved,
and that preyed on his mind, as he feared he could not
be released, except through the Insolvent Court, and he
could not for some time get a creditor to arrest him.
He at last did ; but witness hal his discharge six
weeks ago. Deceased, however, would not leave, saying
he was so kindly treated that he hoped soon to be able
to go before the court. Verdict, " Died from cancer of
the bowels.".
FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE' THAMES. —At an early
hour on Thursday morning a lamentable occurrence took
place near Wilford Hatchard. Four gentlemen, Messrs.
John and Thomas Hayes, of ,West Wilford. Mr. J.
Staines, of Sutton, and Mr. William Peters, of the Hyde
Farm, proceeded to angle in the Thames. The two latter
gentlemen occupied a punt, Mr.'Peters fishing with
ground tackle, whilst Mr. Staines commenced trolling.
The gentlemen were stationed at each end of the punt,
Mr. Peters being seated on a campstool. Whilst in the
act of throWing his line, Mr. Staines, who is somewhat
bulky, caused the punt to incline suddenly, and the action
threw Mr. Peters from his seat into the water, and he
sunk immediately. The tide was running rapidly at the
time, and when the unfortunate gentleman appeared at
the surface, he had been carried a considerable distance
down the river. Both punts were propelled with every
possible expedition in the direction of Mr. Peters, who
unhappily could not swim, but before they reached the
spot Mr. Peters had again disappeared. Several boats
put off, and -were rapidly rowed in the direction where it
was supposed the body of that gentleman might again
appear on the surface, but the body of the unfortunate
gentleman was not again
seen ; and ialthough every
effort was made with drags,
and every other available
means, the body had not been discovered up to six o'clock
yesterday evening.
THE PIGS AND THE GRENADIER GUARDS.—The
following occurrence caused a considerabledealof amuse-
ment to a number of her Majesty's lieges, on Monday
evening last. A company of the Grenadier Guards was
proceeding along Gloucester-place, Portman square, to-
wards their barracks, on return from drill in Hyde Park,
when they suddenly came in contact with a drove of
pigs, of which a genuine Hibernian had the care. At
the same moment the band struck up " When we went
a gipsying, a long time ago," and the pigs, taking fright
at the music, ran amongst the soldiers, three of whom
were completely " floored." One of the swinish multi-
tude scampered into the hall of a gentleman's house,
where he ran against and nearly knocked down the foot-
man. InSpector Tedman, of the D divison, opportunely
arrived at the spot, and While endeavouring to assist the
brave Guards, he was himself laid prostrate by one of
the sturdiest grunters then and there assembled. The
ranks were thrown into complete disorder, as were also'
Paddy's pigs, but after a time the military and the swine
were got together, and the soldiery resumed their march.
Paddy, the pig-driver, swore vengeance against all musi-
cians, and asserted that Captain Warner himself could
not, by his " infernal machine," .have caused greater
confusion than' that which he had witnessed. .
INSECT REVENGE.—At Leintwardine, last week,
a swarm of bees, which had been brushed- off the mouth
of the hive_where they had clustered, becnme • so irri-
tated, that they set upon everything in their way, and
stung.to death tiVenty-six chickens and young ducks.
The old poultry got out of their road, or they would
probably have shared the sane fats'. 'After sundry gyra-
tions,
.and other onslaughts., npon and beast, the ,
night approaching, 'they 'returned quiefly to the
Scotsman.