The Sun.
London, England, 1868-04-02 00:00:00

THE FORTHCOMING FENIAN TRIAL 3

About ten or twelve days hence, if not earlier, the seven
prisoners now confined in Newgate on the charge of
murder in connection with the Fenian attempt to blow up
the Clerkenwell House of Detention will, in all proba-
bility, be put upon their trial at the Central Criminal
Court, as will also Burke, Casey, and Shaw, charged with
treason-felony, and who are likewise imprisoned in ew-
gate, they having been removed there by certiorari, as
will be remembered, from the county of Warwick, the
scene of the alleged crime, and the grand jury of which
had found tine bills against them at the recent assizes held
there. The neat sessions of the Central Criminal Court
'will be opened at the Court House in the Old
Bailey, on Monday next, but it is understood
that the trial of the Fenian prisoners will not
begin until early in the following week. The
ordinary business of the sessions will be of greater
magnitude as to the number of prisoners than usual.
From all that can be learnt, having regard to the attend-
ant circumstances now so familiar, and without any
attempt being made to invest it with undue significance,
the trial will have all the dignity and solemnity attaching
to a great State prosecution. The judges on the rota are
Mr. Baron Bramwell, Mr. Baron Pigott, and Mr. Justice
Keating, and two of those will probably preside at the
trial of the Fenian prisoners, unless, indeed, which is pos-
sible, the principal part of the duty devolve upon the
Lord Chief Justice of England. The case on the part of
the Crown will be conducted by both the Attorney and
Solicitor-General, aided by Mr. Hardinge Giffard, Q.C.,
Mr. Poland, and Mr. Archibald. By whom the defence
will be undertaken remains to be seen, for at present little
is known upon that point. It is understood that a
solicitor engaged for some of the prisoners has recently
applied, on the ground of their poverty, for assistance
to the Sheriffs of London, stating that at least £2OO would
be required for the proper conduct of their defence. In con-
sequence of that appeal the sheriffs, with others of the
managing committee of the Sheriffs' Fund, established
about sixty years ago, held a special meeting on Monday,
and arrived at the conclusion that they could not con-
scientiously extend the required aid, having regard to the
purposes for which the fund was set on foot, which were
—the temporary relief of the distressed families of pri-
soners ; to afford temporary provision for persons who, on
being discharged from prison, have no means of present
subsistence ; to purchase tools, implements, and mate-
rials for prisoners upon their discharge, to enable
them to earn a living ; and, lastly, the pecuniary aid
of other objects of distress who come under the official
cognisance of the sheriffs. Besides the two present
sheriffs, the members of the committee present at the
meeting included some of the aldermen and other gentle-
men who have served the office of sheriff, and some who
have filled that of under-sheriff. Meanwhile, as an act of
grace, the Crown solicitors, on a respectful representation
being made to them as to the want of means of the seven
prisoners charged with the Clerkenwell murder, have
transmitted to each of them, through Mr. Jonas, the
governor of Newgate, a printed copy of the whole of the
depositions taken before the committing magistrate, and
which, as may be imagined, are very voluminous. On the
other hand, the three men charged with treason-felony do
not appear to want either friends or assistance, solicitors—
one being Mr. Roberts, of Manchester— being now en-
gaged in preparing their defence, and they will, doubtless,
be represented by counsel.

Major-General Sir George Buller, commanding
the South-Western Military Dividion, will review the
volunteers on Easter Monday.

PETITIONS ON THE IRISH CHURCH QUESTION.-
From the twelfth report of the Public Petitions Committee it
appears that already (chiefly from Ireland) 119 petitions
have been presented against the disendowment of the Irish
Church, with 13,741 signatures ; 52 have been presented,
with 1,580 signatures, praying the House of Commons to
adopt such measures as may be necessary to disendow the
Established Church in Ireland.

REVENUE OF THE DUCHY OF LANCASTER.— A
return just published relating to the revenue of the Duchy
of Lancaster, shews that the receipts and disbursements
during the year 1867 amounted to £48,796. The latter
includes a payment for her Majesty's use to the Lord
Keeper of the Privy Seal of £29,000, a sum of £1,245 de.
voted to the restoration and decoration of 'the Savoy
Chapel, and cash at the bankers' amounting to £3,10.
The capital acconnt shews a balance of stock on the 214
of December, 1867, of 234,330.

The Fenian prisoners, Thompson and Mullacly,
who were sentenced to death at the late assizes at Man-
chester for the murder of Sergeant Brett, have been re-
moved to London" and lodged in Millbank prison. As
soon as the removal was accomplished the military garrison
was withdrawn from the gaol, Detachments of troops,
contributed in turn from each regiment stationed in Man-
chester 04 gleaford, have been on duty since the prisoners
were committed for trial, and the outside of the gaol has
been patTollo4 by A MAU fOrce pf the county constabulary.
111.*CtIfilr9 Trithdri. A tin we film hoops.

LAW AND POLICE.

ACTION AGAINST A GASLIGHT COMPANY.--At the
kingston Assizes, Mr. Astley, a coffee-house keeper, sued
the London Gaslight Company for damages, in conse-
quence of injury sustained by an escape of gas which had
taken place through the alleged negligence of the defen-
dants' servants. It seemed that there existed several
teaks in the gas-pipes, of which the company had been
informed, but did not take any notice of ; and the conse-
quence was, [that owing to the obnoxious smell arising
from the escape, many of the plaintiff's customers left off
dealing with him. The jury returned a verdict for the
plaintiff ; damages, £5O.
SLANDER. —At the Gloucester Assizes an action for
slander was heard, in which Mr. Smith, a butcher, &c.,
of Berkeley, sued Mr. Jones, a farmer, of the same place,
for having slandered him, by imputing that he was in
a state of insolvency. Soon after the 27th of January last
the plaintiff had an unusual number of applications for
payments of bills, and on his son inquiring the cause, it
was ascertained that the defendant had stated .to Mr.
Taylor, a boatowner, that the plaintiff was " broke," and
his books were at Gaisford the solicitor's office. The
jury found for the plaintiff, with 40s. damages.
THE VALUE OF AN ARCIIDEACON.—At the Liverpool
Assizes an action was brought, under Lord Campbell's
Act, by the executors of the late Yen. A. Masters, Arch-
d,:acon of Manchester, to recover compensation for his
death, which, it was alleged, had been caused by an acci-
dent on the Blackpool and Lytham Railway, the result of
negligence on the part of the company. On the 14th
June the archdeacon was travelling from Blackpool
to Lytham, between which places there exists a
steep incline, and it is usual to have two engines
attached to the train, one before and the other behind,
to assist in getting the carriages up ; but this par-
ticular train on leaving Lytham had only one locomotive,
but another was despatched three or four minutes later,
which seems to have caught up the train and caused a
slight collision. Mr. Masters, who was 73 years of age,
though a hale old man, was thrown forward, which
caused a bruise on his leg, which, it was alleged, caused
erysipelas and ultimately death. It was elicited in evi-
dence that the deceased's wife was suffering from erysipelas
of a very bad kind ; the archdeacon sat in her room and
had his leg dressed by the same servant as attended on
his wife ; and the judge left it to the jury to say whether
or not this was an act of negligence. The jury found a
•'.sdict for the company.
ATROCIOUS CRUELTY TO A CAT.—At the Hampstead
Petty Sessions Court, Mr. Edward Tracy Turnerelli, " a
gentleman " residing at Bell Moor, was summoned for
cruelty to a cat. It seemed, from the evidence of Ann
North, who formerly lived as cook with the defendant, that
on the 4th ult. a tabby cat found its way into an empty
hen-house belonging to the defendant. The latter impri-
soned the animal, and called for five or six jugs of boiling
water, which he threw on the cat. Soon afterwards he
released the animal, and it went home. Evidence was
given by Dobie, an officer of the Royal Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, as to the condition of
the cat, which, he stated, was suffering severely from
burns, having some five or six wounds, varying in
extent. For the defence it was urged that Mr. Turnerelli
only wished to frighten the cat away, as he feared it
might find its way to some favourite poultry belonging to
him. The bench fined the accused 40s. and costs, which
was afterwards increased to £2 25., to give the defendant
an opportunity of appealing against the decision if he were
so minded.

ACTION AGAINST THE MANCHESTER, SHEFFIELD, AND
LINCOLNSHIRE RAILWAY COMPANY.—At Leeds Assizes
a puddler, named Jessop, brought an action against the
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway Com-
pany for injuries sustained by him. The defendants did
not deny their liability, and the evidence was consequently
confined to the present state of the plaintiff and his chance
of improvement. It seems that the plaintiff was married,
but had not any family, and prior to the accident earned
£2 10s. a week, and since the occurrence he had been con-
fined to his bed. The medical witnesses both for the
plzi :ntiffs and defendants agreed to the present incapable
condition of the plaintiff ; but the witnesses on his behalf
stated that the vertebroe of the spine was actually dislo-
cated, while those for the defence swore that in their
opinion the ligamenture covering of the spine was wrenched
or strained, and would be better with rest and quietude.
The jury gave a verdict for £1,050.
A STREET MISSIONARY FINED.—At Clerkenwell Police-
court, William Edward, described as a " street mission-
ary," was charged with creating an obstruction. It
appeared that the defendant was lecturing to a crowd of
about 200 people. He was asked to desist, but refused.
The defendant said that he was a missionary in the employ
of the West London Auxiliary, to plead publicly the prin-
ciples of temperance. He gave some figures with regard
to the length, &c., of the pavement on which he was
standing. Mr. Cooke said that he had nothing to do with
the defendant's object, but with the obstruction ; and he
therefore inflicted a fine of ls. and costs.

THE FRAUDS ON THE IVOLVEPH2I 71 TPTON
COUNTY COURT.

As already reperted, it lately became known that Mr.
3. D. Fou]ke, the managing clerk of the 'Wolverhampton
District County Court for the last sixteen years, had
absconad, and that his accounts were deficient to the
extent, it is believed, of about £l,OOO. Ibis money he is
thought to have had in his possession when he left Wolver-
hampton. A few days ago it seemed that young Mr.
Grazebrook, son of the treasurer of the court, found that
there were some defects in certain of Mr. Foulke's entries
in his ledgers, and he directed the attention of his father
to the circumstance. Upon this the treasurer at once
inspected the books in Mr. Foulke's presence, and charged
him with having systematically made inaccurate entries
as to the amount of fees paid into the court. Mr.
Foulke could afford no satisfactory explanation, and when
the treasurer left he communicated what he had detected
to Mr. C. G. Brown, the registrar, who is Mr. Foulke's
employer. The next morning Mr. Foulke did not come
to the office, and it was found that he bad not been home
all night. Subsequently the iron chest, of which he bad
the charge, was forced open, and it was found empty of
all but nearly £5, which was left in silver and copper coin.
Amongst Mr. Foulke's duties were those of receiving from
the different clerks all the money that was from time to
time received for plaints. At the time at which the falsi-
fied accounts were detected by the treasurer, as described,
he had not banked any of the money fur about three months;
and it is the money that had accumulated in his hands
during that time that he is supposed to have taken from
the safe at the time he absconded. For the whole
amount Mr. Brown is responsible. Mr. Brcwn has the
guarantee of a guarantee society for £2OO only. At one
time the amount of security was £5OO, but Mr. Foulke's
general conduct was so excellent that Mr. Brown, to save
his managing clerk's expenses, consented to its being re-
duced to the smaller sum. Captain Segrave, the Chief
Constable of Wolverhampton, holds a warrant for his ar-
rest ; and through the Police Gazette, and by means of
circulars issued to the different police forces throughout
the kingdom, giving a description of his personal appear
ance, and stating the offence for which he is " wanted,"
efforts are being made to secure his arrest. Coming so
quickly after the time at which Sergeant, the new poor-
rate collector, absconded, this offence has occasioned un-
usual consternation in Wolverhampton.

THE NE MEER, OF ATTORNEYS.—There are 58
original notices for admission of attorneys in Easter term,
besides' renewed applications. The number already on the
roll is 10,733, and only the parties who take out their cer-
tifi.lates appear in the Law List.

The other day Mr. Hutchison, farmer, Craiks-
land, about five miles from Ayr, lost both his hands. Mr.
Hutchison's servants had been working at a straw-cutting
machine, when it suddenly stopped, and Mr. Hutchison
was applied to to put it right. While doing so the machine
went off, dragging with it his left arm, and tearing it off a
little below the elbow. On feeling that his left arm was en-
tangled he put forward his right hand to endeavour to stop
the machine; when it too was dragged in, and so much
shattered that on surgical aid arriving it was found necessary
to amputate the right arm between the wrist and elbow.

SPECIAL CONSTABLES. —The following is a copy
of a circular received by the magistrates at the various
metropolitan police-courts in reference to the recent
appointment of special constables :—" Whitehall, March
31, 1868. Sir, the period of engagement of the special
constables recently sworn in having in many cases expired,
and generally being about to terminate, I am directed by
Mr. Secretary Hardy to inform you that he considers that
present circumstances do not render its extension necessary
upon general grounds. Mr. Hardy has observed with much
satisfaction the willingness with which, both in the metro-
polis and throughout the kingdom at large, numbers of
persons have enrolled themselves, and the zeal with which
they have submitted to practical training under the com-
mand of competent officers. In many cases gentlemen who
have filled important posts in various branches of her
Ma jesty'sservic.? have given much pains to the organisation
of bodies of speCial constables. On the whole Mr. Hardy has
reason to believe that the special constables recently en-
rolled, and in number exceeding 113,674, havebeen organised
upon a footing of readiness and efficiency never before
attained, and that the spirit of loyalty and determination
thus evinced has been of material public service. Mr.
Hardy believes that the good arrangements made at this
time will not be lost, as they will be easily available should
any similar occasion present itself. The staves and badges
issued to the constables should be recalled at the expiration
of their engagement, and be stored atsuch convenientplace
as the _local authority may direct.—(Signed) JAM
fgAcic§§9,l" • -7s

AMERICAN MARKEIS.

-a
(From Beldiny, Ketch, and Co.'s Circular.)

NEW Yoix, March 13, 1868.

Our friends report as follows :—The money stringency
has relaxed materially, but the rate remains firm at seven
per cent. The exposure of the parties engaged in locking
up funds successfully foiled the scheme, and investors
gained confidence upon discovering that the pinch re-
sulted from such purely artificial causes. Government
securities made a strong reactionary movement from the
low ,quotations reached during the activity in funds,
and some other descriptions of bonds have also been
in good demand at advanced prices, but the ge-
neral share market is dull and apathetic, the
more prudent or timid of the Wall-street speculators
being held aloof from stock operations, while so much
doubt exists as to the effect the great Erie war will have
upon the general market. A rumour was current at one
time to-day that a much larger extra issue of Erie shares
than formerly reported had been discovered, producing
some little flurry, but which, however, soon subsided
when the story failed of confirmation. The gold premium
has fluctuated between 1371 and 1391, closing rather weak
at the Litter figure; the transactions have been limited,
and the abundance of gold its such that in many cases
double the legal rate of interest has been paid to have it
carried. There is no demand for exchange.

United States G's of 1881 1111 to
17 5-20's of 1862... ... 110 t to
” 1861 10, to 108

1865... ... 1081 to
1866... 106/ to 107
1867.- 1071- to
10-40's loli to
7-30's, second series 106 to 1-
~ „ third. series ... 106 to
Compy's May 6's ... 118 to 1
American gold ... 1391 to 1
London 3 days• 109-1 to 1101
„ 60 days ... 1091 to 1
Paris 3 days ..• •.• 5.121 to 5.13,1
~ 60 days... ... 5.18 i to 5.17*
Pacific Mail ... 1111 to 1
New York Central... „. 1271 to
Erie . , 751 to -1
Reading 931 to
Michigan, South and North Indiana... ... 891 to 1
Chicago and North-Western Company 67 to
Preference ... 731 to 74
951 to 1
1001 to I

Rock Island and Pacific ... ... ... ...
Fort Wayne - ... ... ... ... ... ...

As there are but two topics of interest all-absorbing-
-Ist, Impeachment; 2d, Erie Railroad combination and
speculations, with regard to which there seems to bo but
little ground to form an opinion as to the course
of events--we devote the most of our space to
what we deem as fully an important a matter,
viz., the Bonds, and what is to be done with them—as
to which we annex a letter from Messrs. Jay Cooke and
Co., who, having had the issuing of the greatest portion of
the loans, ought to be a good authority, and wo believe
they represent the case fairly ; and, if so, any course like
Paying them off in greenbacks would be so shameful, we
will not believe it ever can be carried.

The following letter was sent by Messrs. Jay
Cooke and Co., in reply to one addressed to them
by S. B. Howell enclosing copy of the resolutions
offered in the Assembly by Judge Balcom, and his
published " reasons" for the payment of United
States Bonds in new taxable coin bonds, or green-
backs, in case the holders refuse to convert them
into the proposed new issue :
" Banking House of Jay Cooke and Co.,
Corner-wall and Nassau-street, New
York, Feb. 26, 1868.
" S. B. Howell, Esq., Painted Post, N.Y. :
" We have your letter of the 18th including Mr.
Balcom's resolutions. The sale of the first Five-
twenty loan was undertaken by our Mr. Jay Cooke
at a time when the Government had utterly failed
to find a market for the bonds through the ordi-
nary channels, and the necessities of the Treasury
were immediate and pressing. The bonds were
offered directly to the people, and sold to them at
prices which could not possibly have been obtained
but for the distinct understanding that they were
payable, principal and interest, in coin.
" That this was the spirit and intent of the au-
thorizing act, it is only necessary to refer to the
Sinking fund clause (sec. 5, Act February 25, 1862),
which specially appropriates the coin duties on im-
ports to—first, payment of interest on public debt ;
second, to a sinking fund for the payment of prin-
cipal. All of the funded debt of the United States
that has heretofore matured has been paid in coin,
notwithstanding the fact that the authorizing Acts
did not so specify in words, and three such loans
have matured and been paid in coin since the issue
of the Five-Twenties of 1862.
" These bonds, then, were advertized and sold in
good faith as gold bonds; and that they were so
payable, see the letters of Secretaries Chase, Fes-
senden, and M'Culloch, all of whom have repeatedly
affirmed it.

" The 5-20 s of 1862 will not mature until 1882,
when they will be due and payable in coin. The
Government's option only has matured, but the
Government is not ready now to pay.
" If, as Mr. Balcom urges, the Government
tiny i..
a promise to pay a dollar, and if 500,000,000 of
greenbacks should be issued to pay the 5-20 s must
we not afterward pay them, and, if so, in what but
gold ? Such au issue of paper money, every think-
ing man knows, would totally unsettle values and
indefinitely remove the resumption of specie pay-
ment. But, on the other band, without any in-
crease of currency, in a reasonable time, specie pay-
ment will be resumed, gold and greenbacks will be
in equal value, and to pay the bonds in gold will be
no hardship.

4, As to exemption from taxation, refer to the
last clause of section 2, of the same Act—' And all
stocks, bonds, and securities of the United States
held by individuals, corporations, or associations
within the United States, shall be exempt from taxa-
tion, by or under stated authority.' This is clearly
enough a contract the value of which was consi-
dered by purchasers, and entered into the price
paid. Similar provisions appear in the Acts autho-
rizing subsequent issues of bonds, and they have
been sustained by decisions of the Supreme Court
of the United States.

" Without entering into any laboured argument
to meet Mr. Balcom's 'reasons' for taxing bonds,
it is enough to say in answer to the idea of a bond-
holding aristocracy' that it is in the power of any
man to become a bondholder by purchase in the
market, if he regard the exemption from taxation as
a sufficient inducement to sell taxable property and
so invest the proceeds. If bondholders are a
' favourite class,' no man possessing any property is
excluded from that class except of his own choice,
and no such idea can be made a justification for
violation by the Government of a contract which at
the time it was made was indispensable to the sup-
ply of the Treasury.
" It is not generally known how large a propor-
tion of the securities of the United States are held_
by people of moderate means for the investment of
their savings. We have not at hand the precise
figures of the denominations in which the several
series of Five-Twenties were issued, but the follow-
ing statement shows the number of notes of each
denomination embraced in the issue of Seven-Thirty
Treasury notes, which are now being converted by
the Treasury into Five-Twenty Bonds. In these
conversions the Treasury has never been able to
supply enough small bonds to adequately meet the
demand :

962,580 50s 848,129,000
1,474,940 100 s
436,792 500 s
370,376 I,ooos
8,821 5,000 s

3,256,509 $830,000,000
These figures will give an approximate idea of the
amount in which all of the Five-Twenty Bonds of
the Government are held.

" They show that one-half of the loan in amottnt
was taken in 50s, 100 s, and 500 s ; and further, that
as 2,877,813 pieces of these three denominations
were issued against 371,107 pieces of the large de-
nominations, the capitalists are in very minority,
and any legislation repudiating. In whole or in
part, the obligation of the bonds of the Government
would fall most severely upon widows, orphans,
and people of small capital, who invested their money
in those securities in perfect reliance upon the re-
presentations made to them by the Treasury De-
partment, directly and through its agents at the
time of their issue.

" More than once during the war resolutions
were offered in Congress looking to the payment of
the Five-Twenties in currency, but in every case
were voted down. "JAY COOKE AND CO."

We have also received a letter on "Inflated Currency,"
addressed to the farmers of the United States, by R. G.
Haxard, Esq., of Rhode Island, which has some strong
arguments for returning to a standard of fixed value. As
illustrations of his reasoning, which we think will be
readily appreciated by most farmers, who by numbers
can, if they do not, control our national counsels. We
quote him thus :—" I will add one other item of national
loss, showing how the bane of inflation reaches where we
would least expect to find it. Gold is now an important
item of our exportable products, and by the change
in our currency the exchangeable value, or pur-
chasing power, even of this has been reduced
in the markets to which we send it. We have
dispensed with its use as a common currency, and as a
consequence tire quantity of it in other countries has in-
creo.sed, and its purchasing power proportionally dimi-
nished. If in this country we should all substitute pota-
toes for bread, our wheat would all be crowded into foreign
markets, and a fall in price would then be the consequence.
This same effect must result from substituting paper for
home use in place of gold. The difference between the
inviorating influence of a sound currency and such as we
are.using, upon the business vitality of a country is.greater
than between potatoes and wheat upon muscular and mental