The Sun.
London, England, 1857-07-06 00:00:00

IN RE BUGBEE.

Mr. Chidley applied on behalf of the widow of this
bankrupt for an allowance, under the following circum-
stances :—lt appeared that the bankrupt died three or
four days after he had surrendered. ' The widow bad
only been married to the bankrupt about six months,
and had brought in about 5 or 600/. into the busines,
and after the death of the bankrupt she bad not the
means to defray the funeral expenses, and the Court
granted 151. for the funeral, 101. to provide herself and
two children with suitable mourning. About 2,0001,
had been proved against the estate, and it was estimated
the sale of the stock, furniture, &c., would. realiz) up.
wards of 1,0001.

Mr. Chidley now applied for an allowance of excepted
articles, according to the act.

, -
His Honour at first doubted whether he bad the power.

Mr. Chidley referred to the 25th section of 7 and 8
Vic. c. 19, and contended that the widow could select
in the place of her husband.
_ _ .

His Honour ultimately granted the application.

CRIMINAL COURT.—(This Day.)

The July sessions of the Central Criminal Court com-
menced this morning in the Old Court, Old Bailey,
before the Lord Mayor, the Recorder, Aldermen Sir
Geo. Carroll, Sir R. W. Carden, M.P., Wire, and Hale,
and Under-Sheriffs Anderton and Crossley.
The learned Recorder, in briefly charging the grand
jury, congratulated them on the small number of
prisoners for trial, and there being but one case
of a serious nature, namely that of Michael
Crawley for the murder of his wife at Stratford. The
other cases did not require any comment from him, but
it was as well that he should allude to the bill that had
recently passed the legislature for the abolition of trans-
portation, and the substitution of penal servitude. It
must be admitted that some considerable advantages
were derived from transportation by the isolation of the
party, and his separation from all his former associates
in crime, and also that when the term of punish-
ment had expired there was the opportunity of his
being absorbed in the population of the colony where
labour was in demand, and where he consequently had
an opportunity of obtaining an honest living by honest
labour. Circumstances, which he should not then stop
to consider, had rendered it impossible to send oar cri-
minal population to colonies that had formerly received
them, and it bad been a matter of consideration with the
Government what punishment to substitute for trans-
portation, and the result had been the substitution of
penal servitude. If transportation was considered
by the criminal population as a terror, it was right that
the substituted punishment should partake of the same
character to prevent the increase of crime. The sentence
of penal servitude hereafter to be passed on criminals
would be found to be of a very severe character. The
prisoner for many months after his conviction would be
kept in separate confinement, and then removed to one
of our penal establishments, where he would be placed to
severe labour, and pass from the condition of a free man to
that of a slave. The period of servitude would be rigorously
enforced, and in no case would any of the punishment be
remitted, except where there had been permanent good
conduct during the incarceration, and then the remis-
sion would only be from one-sixth to one-third of the
period. The effect of this change would be to confine
the whole of our criminal population within the limits of
our island, and then it would be for the consideration of
well intentioned individuals how that population could be
kept within as small a limit as possible. Various
means might be adopted for that purpose ; first, by
such measures as would prevent the people from con-
tracting criminal babas, and next, which was a very
difficult matter, reforming those that had given Ray.
All were personally interested in solving that difficulty,
and it was their duty to do what they could to check
the progress of crime by bringing that amount of intel-
ligence to bear on the question which they did on all
others connected with the welfare and prosperity of the
country. He could not doubt that means would be dis-
covered to attain the end so important to the interests
of all and the repression of crime.

ELECTION COMMITTEES.—(This Day.)

BURY.

The committee met at 11 o'clock.
Mr. W. Harper, election auditor was re-called, and
produced the election accounts. 81. 23. 3d. were paid to
Thomas Baldwin for messengers and assistants ; 41. to
Joseph Chadwick for night watching, and 201. 93. to
Mr. J. Heap for printing ; 1391. 193. were paid for Mr.
Peel's messenger. It was understood that the messen-
gers were non-electors.
John O'Niel, manager of a cotton mill, deposed to the
state of the town. People were congregated with
sticks at the corner of the streets and shouted very
much.

Mr. Robert Gay, butcher, deposed that a voter named
Poutey owed him 51. for meat. O❑ Saturday before the
election Mr. Horrocks told him that if he would vote
for Peel be would see Poutey's account paid ; witness
declined. Horrock. theu told him if he did not vote for
Peel, he would call in the money witness owed him on
mortgage. Witness declined to vote for Peel, and the
money was called in accordingly.

OXFORD.
The committee met this morning at the usual hour.

Several witnesses were examined, who stated that
previous to the election, meetings were held at the
Horse and Jockey and other public houses, at which
Mr, Neale addressed the electors. Beer was ordered
and drank, but the witnesses were unable to state who
paid for it. A witness named Bates stated that the
beer: at the Horse and Jockey was supplied at Mr.
Greenwood's direction, and the amount charged to his
account.

MAIDSTONE.

The Committee met at eleven o'clock.

Other evidence was given this morning of treating on
the part of the sitting members. One voter, a butcher,
was examined as to an offer of 121. for him to vote for
the sitting members, but he declined and voted for Lee
and Mildmay. Evidence was also given to show
bribery on the part of Sturges as referred to in the learned
counsel's opening speech.