The Sun.
London, England, 1868-09-30 00:00:00

LAW AND POLICE.

ATTEMPT TO MURDER A WOMAN.-At Rochdale Police-
court James Duffey has been charged with violently
assaulting an old woman, named Catherine M`Keown.
The policeman who had charge of the case stated he was
told that an old woman had been murdered in a house in
High-street. He went there, and found the woman on the
floor, bleeding from the eyes and the ears. At first
she appeared to be dead, but afterwards she
'hewed signs of life. While in the house the
prisoner came in and kicked him, without receiv-
ing any provocation. Duffey was drunk at the time.
Bridget Duffey, the prisoner's wife, stated that the old
woman was her mother, and had been residing with her
and her husband. James Duffey came home drunk, and
sa_ . he could not " abide " her mother. He then beat
witness, and turned her out of the house. She opened the
shutter and looked through the window, and saw the
prisoner run and kick her mother in the head. The
prisoner was remanded, as the woman, who is between 70
and 80 years of age, is not expected to survive her injuries.
A SINGULAR BETTING CASE.—A singular betting case
has just been brought before the Marlborough-street
magistrate. A waiter, named Sedgeley, was charged with
detaining or stealing a letter, and prosecutor's counsel
stated that he was a betting agent, and was in the habit
of receiving letters from the country containing gold
or notes for him to back certain horses on com-
mission. The accused called at his house during his
absence, and, seeing a letter, undertook to deliver it. His
housekeeper gave it to him, but he had kept it, and
prosecutor did not know whether or not it contained a
£5 or a £lO note. The learned gentleman added that
it was a common practice among a certain class of
betting men to steal letters addressed to betting agents.
Thus, a man who made a bet through an agent must
not only calculate on all the ordinary turf jobbery, the
withdrawal or doctoring of favourites, and directions some-
times given to jockeys to lose, but, besides the slipperiness
of his agent, the chance of his letter and remittance being
stolen. In this case defendant said the letter was one he
had written himself to prosecutor complaining of his dis-
honesty, and, seeing it had not been delivered, be asked for
it in order to withdraw it. Mr. Tyrwhitt said that that
was a stealing nevertheless, and committed the accused
'or trial.

A SINGULAR JUDGMENT.—At the Skipton petty session.
Edward Wallis, of Skipton, commercial traveller, was
charged, a day or two back, by Jonathan Watson, with
trespassing in pursuit of game on the 27th of August
last in the Raikes Meadow, occupied by Mr. W. Bell.
The complainant proved the trespass, and put in evidence
the written leave of the tenant, giving his master
the shooting over the land in question. The com-
plainant, in cross-examination, admitted that he had secured
the right of shooting over the land since the alleged
trespass had been committed by the defendant, namely, on
the 10th of September instant. It appears that the land
in question forms part of the Tarn Moor Estate, and is
the poor land of the township of Skipton, and by Act of
Parliament all freeholders of the annual value of £lO and
upwards are the trustees for the land, and any one of
them has power to grant leave to any person (duly
licensed) to sport over it. The defendant adduced in
evidence the written leave of a freeholder, given in July
last, and also the leave of the tenant, besides his license
to kill game ; thus proving his right to sport over the
land. The magistrates consulted upwards of half an
hour, and then announced " they had given the case their
best consideration, and fined defendant ss. and costs."
Notice of appeal was given, and a numerously-attended
meeting was held the same afternoon, and a subscription
list started to resist magistrates in what was described as
their attempt to monopolise the shooting.
CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER.—At the Liverpool Police-
Court, on Tuesday, a cab-driver, named Charles Devine,
was charged with having caused the death of a
labourer, named Thomas Dalton, in Regent-road. On
the afternoon of Tuesday week Dalton was found
in a state of insensibility in Regent-road, and was
subsequently removed to an hospital, where he died the
following day of fracture of the skull and effusion
of blood on the brain. At the inquest held on
the body there was no evidence to chew how
the deceased received his injuries, and an open
verdict was returned. It afterwards transpired that
Devine had knocked Dalton down in the street twice
before the arrival of the officer, and this having been
proved he was taken into custody. and committed for
trial on the charge of manslaughter.

QUERY.—CouId a thief chargad with stealing
your carte de visite legally set up a defence that he was only
taking your portrait ?

The Mont Cenis Company is, it is said, carrying
a great many passengers. People prefer the shortest road,
particularly in a season of the year unfavourable to the
picturesque.

" So," said Hook, addressing a gatekeeper Who
,vas hoarse, " you haven't recovered your voice yet ? "
" No, sir," was the answer, " I've caught a fresh cold."
But why did you catch a fresh one ? " asked Hook; " why
didn't you have it cured ? "

FALL OF A FACTORY AND Loss OF LIFE.—At
Grasse a manufactory of perfumery fell in the other day,
burying a number of persons under the ruins. Six of the
workmen were taken out dead, and seven badly injured.
The clearing away of the rubbish continued, and more
bodies will, it is feared, be discovered. The Minister of
the Interior sent an immediate relief of 3,000 f.
AT THE HONEYMOON HOTEL.—I subjoin some
observations upon early pairs—that is, on the character
and conduct of newly-married couples as observed daily
from a shaded spot in our own parlour, and out of the
corner of my eye. The male bird is first seen. He
perches himself on a bench outside, and casts i etrospective
glances into the sitting-room for the coming of the beloved
object to make his tea. He is attired in as gorgeous
plumage as though he were about to perambulate Pall.
mall, instead of stroll upon the sea-shore all day. The
newspaper lies folded on his knee. What are politics or
polemics to Edwin when he is waiting for his Emma.
Presently, there is a flutter of some ample but delicate
substance, and out she comes, in muslin, radiant as a
star. She stoops down and presses her coral lips to his
sublime forehead, then stands with one hand lightly
resting on his shoulder, looking out upon the cerulean
deep. She says something in a soft bewitching tone,
eulogistic of the scenery. He replies with some pretty
compliment upon herself. She pats his manly cheek
rebukingly, and steps on to the lawn to pluck a flower
for his button-hole ; in doing so, she catches sight of the
present writer, blushes like the rose she has gathered,
and flits back with the dreadful news that they are not
entirely alone. It is one of the prettiest pantomimes in
the world. In some cases this performance is repeated
morning after morning ; but in others the performance,
after a day or two, varies considerably. Edwin gra.
dually awakens from his dream of bliss, and begins to
take an interest in the Times. I hear him ringing
for the waiter, and inquiring, in a tone of solicitude, if
there are prawns for breakfast. If he is a sluggard

by nature, his old habit re-asserts itself, and Emma
will present herself first in the verandah, making a sun-
shine in that shady place. She cuts the newspaper for
her lord, but never reads it ; she may hold it up before
her, but it is as likely as not to be upside down. If a
smile irradiates her pretty face, it is of him she is thinking.
Presently the wretch comes down to receive his tribute of
a kiss (I hear it through the open window so distinctly
that it gives me quite a thrill), after which begins a
tinkling of spoons— I allude to the breakfast service—and
tender muffled talk. On the third morning the male bird
smokes in the verandah, and I perceive that, instead of
the pair of shiny shoes in which he has previously
appeared, he wears slippers. The next day I catch him
occasionally taking out his watch, as though time was
going just a little slow at the Honeymoon Hotel ;
—I 111 e.
end of the week he yawns,77-Cham6cris journal.