The Sun.
London, England, 1857-08-26 00:00:00

SPOLLM

A provincial journal (the Newry Telegraph), refer-
ping to the re-arrest of the notorious James Spollen,
inakes the following judicious remarks :-
-" The detectives may be able to mend their
hand, but let the Executive be wary. While
the plea of autrefois acquit would not bar
Spollon's trial on an indictment for another crime
than murder, in the face of the verdict of Not
guilty' a jury would be slow to arrive at the con-
clusion involving a censure on the previous finding.
I`, must be owned that, however powerfully moral
influences told against the prisoner, public opinion
runs with the view of the papers, that the jury
cotild not have brought in a verdict of guilty upon
the evidence produced. Without supplemental
proof, therefore tending not only to supply wantiag
links in the chain of evidence, but to impartstrength
where weakness had been developed, it w ere a fatal
blunder for the Crown to adopt the somewhat un-
usual course now seemingly in contemplation.
Failure, the more likely in conseqnence of the
abortivenecs of the former prosecution, would bring
lasting reproach on our criminal judicature.

COMMITTAL OF SPOLLEN FOR THE BOBBERY
AT THE BROADSTONES.

THE MURDER IN TEE QUEEN'S BENCH
PRISON.

Mr. W. Payne, the coroner for the borough of
Southwark, yesterday held an inquest in the Queen's
Bench Prison, upon the body of Robert Hender-
son Robertson, who died in the prison in conse-
quence of injuries inflicted upon him by an Italian
named Antonio de Salvi, with a dagger-knife under
very peculiar circumstances.
Mr. M'Mahon, the barrister, was present to
watch the proceedings on behalf of De Salvi, Mr.
Sleigh and Mr. E. Hawley were present on behalf
of Mr. J. S. Gower, whose name was mentioned
in connection with the proceedings ; and Mr. Craw-
ford, from the office of Mr. Wontner, solicitor,
was present on behalf of the family of the deceased.
The matter that was the subject of Inquiry has
been so frequently before the public, that it will be
unnecessary to do more in the outset than to state
that the deceased was confined in the Queen's Bench
Prison at the suit of De Salvi and Mr. Gower, and
that on the Bth July they both went to the Queen's
Prison, accompanied by a solicitor named Thomp-
son, for the purpose of endeavouring to effect some
arrangement with the deceased relative to the pay-
ment of the debt. It appeared that the deceased
was disinclined to make any such arrrangement,
and denied that he owed the money ; and the
consequence was that De Salvi became fearfully
excited, and suddenly drew a dagger knife,
and stabbed the deceased in the face, and the
temple, and the nape of the neck, the blade of the
knife breaking in the last mentioned wound. The
injuries were from the first fe!t to be of so danger-
ous a character, that it was known the deceased
could not survive ; and he lingered until Saturday
last, when he expired. Upon the supposition that
Mr. Gower had made use of some expression of
encouragement to De Salvi, they were both com-
mitted upon the charge of wounding with intent to
murder, but the grand jury ignored the bill against
Mr. Gower, who had been admitted to bail, and
De Salvi was tried and convicted on Friday last at
the Central Criminal Court, upon a minor count on
the indictment of wounding with intent to do
bodily harm, and sentenced to fifteen years' penal
eervitude.
Mr. Sleigh, at the commencement of the pro-
ceedings, said he thought it right to state that Mr.
Gower would have been present, but that in conse-
quence of the state of his health, arising from the
anxiety he had undergone, he had found it abso-
lutely necessary to go into the country, but he had
been telegraphed for that morning, and he would
very probably be in attendance before the close of
the inquiry, and he was most anxious to answer
any qucs'ions the jury might think fit to put to
him in reference to the sad affair.

DUBLIN, TUESDAY MORNING.
The submarine telegraph has doubtless informed
you of the committal of Spollen for the robbery at
the Broadetone Terminus on the night of the mur-
der of Mr. George Little. The prevailing opinion
is that if this man had quietly betaken himself from
public and police observation the authorities would
have taken no further proceedings against him, but
he had the effrontery ti outrage public decency by
his exhibition at Prince Patrick's Theatre. Had
he been detained in custody on the day of his ac-
quittal of the charge of murder, and a new trial for
the robbery been commenced, Spollen would have
found sympathisers in the general crowd, who
would have regarded him as a police victim, but
his exhibition at Fishamble-street elicited but one
sentiment amongst all ranks—unmitigated disgust.
The Crown is thus coerced to take the course it has
adopted. The proceedings in Capel-street Police-
office yesterday were not without public interest.
Mr. Porter presided.
James Spollen was brought forward, charged
with having " feloniously stolen, in the dwelling-
house of the Midland Great Western Railway Coen-
p any of Ireland, money, in all over the value of 51.,
the property of said company, contrary to the
statute in such cases made and provided, against
the peace of our Lady the Queen."
Mr. Corballis, Q.C., Mr. Fitzgibbon, Q.O. with
Mr. Kemmis, Crown Solicitor, appeared on the part
of the Crown ; and the prisoner was undefended.
Mr. Corballis said he should state why he ap-
pearel, accompanied by his friend Mr. Fitzgibbon,
in this case. The charge against James Spollen,
whose name was unfortunately but too familiar
with the public, was one of robbery, or, to speak
more technically, a charge of stealing in the dwell-
ing-house to the value of Si. and more. They
proposed to examine witnesses to prove that fact,
and to ask the magistrate to commit him on that
charge. It would be unnecessary to occupy time in
going into further details then—
Mr. Porter—There were certain informations
returned in reftrence to another offence, and it
would appear to me that upon these informations
there might have been au indictment for this offence
sent before the grand jury.
Mr. Corballis--No doubt of it, air. I recollect
when I was here before you on that occasion, Mr.
O'Donnell, I think, said what was to be done was
in reference to the other charge contained on the
charge-sheet ; and for my own part I felt that there
was evidence of a very strong character against
the prisoner for the more serious offence, and I
thought it would therefore be frittering away time
to take any steps with regard to this.
Mr. Poi ter—These informations are in the bands
of the Clerk of the Crown, and will be available if
this man is sent for trial on this charge of feloni-
ously entering the office of the late G. S. Little, and
stealing therefrom the sum of 3001.
Mr. Corballis—But the prisoner is not amenable
to justice yet.

Mr. Porter—And all you want is to have him

made amenable by me.
Mr. Corballis—Nothing more. If you think
yourself warranted in granting the committal at
at once on this secmd charge, on the informations
already before you, we shall be quite satisfied, and
it would certainly be the pleasantest course.
Mr. Porter—l will let you take your own course,
I only mike the suggestion.
Mr. Fitzgibbon—All we have to do is to satisfy
your mind that this case ought to be sent for trial--
b :fore a grand jury first, and next before a petty
jury ; and it appears to me that the informations
already on record in this case, and which wtre all
taken in the presence of the prisoner and his coun-
sel, who had the opportunity of cross-examining,
and did cross-examine the witnesses, are sufficient
to justify you in holding him in custody.
Mr. Porter—Do you propose to give any addi-
tional evidence ?
Mr. Fitzgibbon—l think not. _ .

Mr. Porter—l think there can be no doubt that
the Attorney-General, if he chose, could have sent
up a bill of indictment for what I may call the
minor offence.

Ourballis and Mr. Fitzgibbon—There is not
the least doubt about it.

Mr. Fitzgibbon—l think it would be well to
bring evidence before you that a sum of between
3001. and 4001., the money of the company, was on
the night of the 13th November unquestionably
feloniously abstracted from the office, and that some
of the money identified beyond possibility of doubt
was subsequently found in the neighbourhood of
the cottage occupied by the prisoner.
. Mr. Porter—lt would be idle affectation to say
that there has not been a case already made in re-
ference to this minor offence on which the Crown
are entitled, if they choose, to send up an indict-
ment.

Mr. Waken), the surgeon of the prison, was then
called as a witness. He stated, in addition to the
testimony that has previously appeared, that the
deceased died on Saturday evening, and on the fol-
lowing morning he made a pest mortem examina-
tion. He said that all the wounds the unfortunate
man had received had entirely healed externally,
and he only considered it necessary to make a
minute examination of the one at the nape of the
neck, in which he had always believed the broken
portion of the knife still remained. He ascertained
that the spinal cord had been divided, and dis-
covered alymt two inches of the pointed portion of
the blade of a knife embedded in one of the verte-
bra), and it had entered to such an extent as to re-
quire considerable force to remove it. The cause
of death was paralysis, produced by the division of
the spinal cords tnd the consequent exhaustion
that followed upon an injury of that description.
Mr. Wakom produced the portion of the spine
that he had removed, preserved in spirits, and with
the broken blade of the knife still remaining in the

place where he discovered it. The point-of the'
knife was subsequently removed, and compared
with the weapon that was picked up at the time of
the occurrence, and they were found to correspond
exactly.
Mr. Alexander Robertson, the son of the de-
ceased, a _ young man, was then examined. He

was a good deal -affected while giving his evidence.
He said—l reside at No. 26 Berkeley-square. The
deceased was my father. He did not follow any
profession. His name was Robert Henderson
Robertson. He was forty-nine years old. I saw
him last week, and he told me then that he did not
think he should recover, but ho made no statement
relative to this affair.

Thomas Buchanan, a police sergeant, produced
the broken knife, and he stated that he had made
inquiries at most of the cutlers in the metropolis,
but could not discover where it had been purchased.
The persons to whom he had shown it, he slid,
were of opin'ou that it was a foreign manufactured
knife, and that it had been made either in France
or Germany.
Mr. Reed, one of the principal clerks at the
Central Criminal Court, produced the deposition of
the deceased taken by Mr. Combe, the magistrate,
in the prison, in the presence of De Salvi and
Gower, and which has already appeared. The
material portions of it consisted of the allegations
that he had never seen Gower before the day in
question, and that De Salvi had on previous occa-
sions threatened his life ; and while he was making
the attack upon him Gower called out, " Give it
the villain," and incited him to persevere in his
violence.

In answer to a question put to him, Mr. Reed
stated that the grand jury ignored the bill against
Gower. _

Mr. Richard Thompson, the solicitor, who ac-
companied the parties to the prison on the day in
question, was then examined, and he repeated the
evilenee given by him on the former occasion. He
said that there was first an altercation between Mr.
Gower and the deceased about the debt, and the
latter said that as to 2001. of the money, he had
never received it. De Salvi then said "I let you
have the money." The deceased again stated that,
he did not have it, and De Salvi appeared to be
very angry, and got closer to him, and at
this time he said Mr. Gower was standing
four or five feet off. De Salvi suddenly placed
his left hand on the deceased's right shou►der, and
almost at the same instant appearei to strike him
in the face as he thought with his first, but imme-
diately afterwards ho observed that he was bleed-
ing, and he fell from his chair, and De Salvi then
struck him on the back, and ran out of the room.
He then observed that Mr. Gower had also gone
out of the room, and he went up to the deceased
and rendered him what assistance he could. The
witness also stated that he did not see any weapon
in De Salvi's hand, and that Gower, to his recol-
lection, did not say a word while the transaction
was taking place.

Mr. J. Chamberlain examined I was Mr.
Little's assistant. On Thursday evening, the 18th
November last, I left the office about 5 o'clock, and
Mr. Little remained after me, as he always did. I
never after saw him alive. I saw the prisoner
painting the railings in the office on one occasion,
and on another evening he came and left his tools
there, Mr. Little sent for him on several occa-
sion's. (The witness then identified the documents
found with the stolen money as having been ab-
etrac!ed from the cashier's office.)
Mr. Thomas Bennett stated that the amount
which came into Mr. Little's hands on the 13t'i
of November, and for which he charged himself by
entries in his own handwriting, was 2,7721. Os. Rd.
When the office door was broken I found money
and vouchers to the amount of 2,434/. 2s. 11d., the
difference being 3371. 17s. 9d. Mr. Little's dead
body was in the office at the time. Unless the dif-
ference was feloniously abstracted from the office,
ha had no means of accounting for the deficiency ;
there was 3301. in actual cash taken, including the
surplus moneys.
Inspector Ryan having re-acknowledged his in-
formation on which the warrant for the prisonet'e
arrest was granted,
B,rgeant Meara., of the er division, stated that
he searchel the rad way premises on the 24th June,
aril found between the poorhouse wall and the
railway 2321. in gold, silver, notes, and copper,
a..1'1. ?Net which were two packages marked 2/. 6s.
eue 2/. 18s. 6d. surplus money.
Mr. Porter—There is sufficient to justify me in
keuding the prisoner for 4rial If (addressing Vie
pr.soner) yoo •
ject yovt
are
atwlish to say anything upon the sub-
I should cau'uoixiberty to do so ; but it is right that
reduced to seritinyou that what you state will be
yotl'trialnd illay
be
agr4inst you on given in evidence
Prisoner—l decline tom ke any statement until
I am able to produce cour2,i.
Mr. Fitzgibbon—l unders,
and that Insect )r
Ryan found upon the prisoner's ve
think it is right that it should b nt• rum 101., p
and I
Into his hands
to ao with it what he pleases.
Mr. Porter—Oh, certainly. It appears that there
was found upon him 91. 10s. gold, 7e. 6d, in silver,
and sd. iu copper.
Prisoner—l have been told that will not suf-
ficient to defend me. The gentlemen that have
been acting for me recently have been complaining
bitterly that they have been at a loss, and that
they did not rec:ive enough to cover the expenses
of the
Fitzgibbon—We hive nothing to do with
t._at,

Mr. C. E. F. Wyld-, a gentleman at present
" residing," as be stated, in the Queen's Bench
Prison, deposnl, that upon hearing the alarm of
murder on the day in question, he went into the
deceased's room, and heard him exclaim, "I am
dying ; take down quickly what I have to say."
Witness at once procured some writing paper, and
at the request of the deceased he wrote as follows :
—" Send for Mr. Henderson, 7, Mincing-lane, by
express ; and for Mr. Yenning, 9, Tokenhouse-
yard. Send for the first medical man you can get."
Mr. W. Bell, another inmate of the prison, de-
posed that he saw. De Salvi run out of the deceased's
room, followed by Gower, and that the latter made
a stop, and exclaimed "Oh !" and at the same
time appeared to shudder.
Mr. Mouser, another prisoner, repeated the evi-
dence he gave at the Central Criminal Court, which
was to the effect, that a short time before the Bth
of July he was in the deceased's room with him and
De Salvi, and the latter said, in a very menacing
tone, that he wanted to have some private conver-
sa.ion with the deceased, and the latter motioned
him not to go, and he remained. There.was then
some conversation between De Salvi and the de-
c:ieed upon the subject of the debt due to the
former and Mr. Gower, and he said that if the de-
eeeeed did not make some arrangement to pay
them,i addition
would have his life. The witness' stated,
the Bch 1001, that after the affair had taken pace oa
minutes toi
and tilaie of July, he went into the deceased's mem,
deceased said to him, "I have not many
several times. .GoI have been stabbed by De Salvi
because he ineitewderiNyas more to blame than lie;
escape." The witnessirninla.iel,t,he observation to him,
take care he does not
4. What of Mr. Thompson
re-
plied, " He remained in the
loom and said
and the deceased
nothing."
Mr. Colwell, the principal turnkey of the prison,
deposed that he saw Mr. Gower, atter the occur-
rence, be appeared quite horror-
stricken and seemed
to be looking for assistance. Do Salvi wanted to

Mr. Por:er—Direct Inspector Ryan to bring the
mr•npy over to the prisoner and get a receipt from
b:mr.
The prisoner here asked Inspector Ryan for his
watch.
Inspector Ryan sail he would give him every-
thiug but his penknife.
Mr. Porter—ln reference to the observation that
Yo a have made of not having received enough, I

. ...1.... ...
understand that the Crown offered you the means i Teak to hiTh, but Mr. Gower said to him, "Don't
to pay for your defence at the late investigation. a peak to ble, you villain. Oh God, that I should
The Prisoner—These gentlemen tell me that they h ave coffee to this place with such a villain."
have been at a loss. I In answer to questions put by Mr. M'Mahon,
Mr. Porter—it is very well that the public should the witness said that while the deceased was quite
know that the Crown were not bound to give you ', aware he could not survive the injuries he had re-
anything at all. ceived‘, he told him the nature of the evidence that
Mr. Fitzgibbon—lt is right to mention that there held been given by the witness Ivlonser before the
were found eight sovereigns and 17s. 6d. in the ir aagistrate, and he smiled, and said that De Salvi
prisoner's drawer at the time of his arrest, which I 'had never threatened him to his face, and he was
money was returned to him when the trial was ; only afraid of him on account of the threats ho had
over ; and before his trial the Crown had given him' tittered towards him outside the prison.
no less a sum than 201. to do what he pleased with, Dennis, one of the turnkeys of the gaol, deposed
and that was a very ample isum for his defence. that he took charge of De Salvi, and told him that
Mr. Corballis—The prisoner having had furni- he was accused of stabbing Mr. Robertson, and be
tare it was thought not right to deprive him of the replied that it was true. He was then told that
c
means of defence, and in that way the 201. was ad- Mr. Gower was also charged with inciting him to do
vanced, though the furniture was only valued at the act, and he replied that he knew nothing about
131., so that he could not say that he was deprived it. He, after this, tried several times to speak to
of the means of defence. Mr. Gower, but the latter would not allow him to do
Mr. Porter then committed the prisoner for trial so, and repeatedly said that he was a villain and a
at the next city commission. murderer.
This brought tl'e evidence to a close, and several
------- ' of the jury said they were of opinion that it would
be unnecessary for the Coroner to trouble himself
with any observations in reference to Mr. Gower.
as they were of opinion that he had nothing to do
with the act committed by the other man, De
Salvi.
The Coroner, in summing up, said he should call
their attention to all the facts in the case, and they
would then form their own conclusions. With
regard to De Salvi, he said, it appeared to him it
would be impossible for them, if they believed the
evidence, to return any other verdict than one of
wilful murder. There was no provocation of any
kind that in law would reduce the crime to man-
slaughter, for if a blow had been struck, which was
not even suggested, that would not have justified
the use of a deadly weapon. As to Mr. Gower,
he could only be implicated in the matter by what
was termed in law being a principal in the second
degree, by aiding and inciting to the commission
of the offence ' • and to make that out, they must
be satisfied that he knew what De Salvi was doing,
and that he was aware he was making use of a
deadly weapon. It appeared to him that there
was little or no evidence to warrant such an assump-
tien, and he reminded them that Mr. Thompson,
who was present all the time, stated that he never
saw any weapon in the hand of De Salvi, and that
he imagined he was striking the deceased with his
fist until he saw him bleeding.
The jury almost immediately returned a verdict
of Wilful Murder against Antonio di Salvi only.

_ALLEGED SUICIDE FROM REFUSAL OF
RKLIEF. - HOW THE CASUAL POOR
ARE TREATED.

Last evening Mr. Wakley, the coroner, held an
inquest at the Elephant and Castle, King's-road,
Camden-town, on the body of a man unknown,
attired in the garb of a sailor, who is alleged to
have applied at the gates of St. Pancras Workhouse
for admission and relief, and having been refused,
went straight to a pond in the Agar-town-fields and
drowned himself.

Mr. G. W. F. Cook, solicitor to the parish, and
some of the directors of the poor of St. Pancras,
attended to watch the proceedings.
Mr. Payne said he found the body of the deceased
on Saturday morning at a quarter to six iu Agar-
town-fields, in the water of a pond there. Ho was
not floating, but laid about half an inch below the
surface. He went for a policeman, and got the de-
ceased out. His hat was lying on the bank with a
stone and a handkerchief in it. The policeman
searched him and found a farthing in his pockets,
and two skeins of thread, one white and the other
grey, and a needle. His clothes did not appear to
be torn, nor was there any signs of struggling on the
banks of the river.

. Mr. W. E. Iffreys, surgeon, St. Augustine's-
road, said that about 6 o'clock on Saturday mom-
ing he was called to see the body of the deceased.
Should take him to have been a man of 50 or 55
years of age. Found from the marks on his arm
that he had been a sailor. Had made a post-mortem
examination of the body, and believed that he had
died of suffocation by drowning. There was
nothing in his stomach but a small quantity of
water. The brain and vessels of the brain were
very much congested, but there was no disea,e.
J. Taylor, police constable 134 S, said he was
called by the first witnep, and found the body of the
deceased as described. Saw deceased about eleven
o'clock on the previous night at the workhouse
gate. Did not speak to him.
Isabella Hewitt sail she saw the deceased, whom
she did not know, last alive about 10 o'clock on
Friday night, at the St. Pancras workhouse gate.
There were then two men, two women, and two
children lying at the gate. Was herself waiting for
a night's lodging, and remained theta till the de-
ceased's body was brought in. He left the gate
about 11 o'clock, and was very sick and ill. He
complained of faintness and sickness. When he
came witness asked him if he had rang the bell, and
he said " No." He then rang the bell, and one of
the men asked what he wanted, and he replied he
wanted a bed.

The Coroner directed that the officers of the gate
should be sent for, for identification.
Charles Smart, police-constable, 404 S, said he
saw deceased about a quarter before one on Satur-
day morning, in the King's-road, and he said he had
nowhere to go to. He asked him if he had applied
to the workhouse, and he replied that he had, but
they would not admit him. Told him to go to
Gray's Inn-lane Union, and he said he had not been
there, but he said he would gg down to the work-
house again, and left witness for that purpose. He
was quite sober, and looked destitute. He did not
make any observation as to how long he had been
without food.

By Mr. Cook—Did not ask the deceased what his
name wag, or what.parish he belonged to. He did
not have the appearance of being exhausted.

Isabella Hewitt recalled--When the man an-
swered the gate deceased said " I want a bad for
the night." The man who answered him is now
before the court, and he said " There is no bed
to-night for you, nor any one else."
The man referred to, who is one of the inmate',
said his name was Thomas Mingatty.
The witness then repeated in substance the evi-
dence already given. _

By the Coroner—l only asked for a bed once.
None of us got in. I remained with my child, aged
11, and the other two women remained with their
two children outside the gate all night.
By the Jury—The deceased was at the door when
I went. Ido not belong to this parish ; I belong
to Marylebone. I applied to Marylebone first for
a night's lodging, and they told me I must either
come to St. Pancras or to the Strand Union, in
Cleveland-street. The witness then went on to
describe how she had been refused relief at Maryle-
bon e.

The Coroner inquired if there were any rules laid
down for the admission of persons on applying at
the gate ?

Mr. Cook said there ware, and he wculd send
for them.'

The Coroner warned the jury that they must not
place implicit reliance on all the statements made
by this witne=s, as they were made in the absence of
the parties concerned. At the same time he feared
there was too much truth in it. He really cauld
not understand why the poor were treated in this
manner by workhouse authorities. If the Sepoys
in India were to treat any of our people in the same
way, we should set them down as the greatest
brutes in existence.

Mr. Cook said there were a class of persons who
determined to make the workhouse their home, and
live upon the public.
After a long conversation upon this point between
the Coroner and Mr. Cook.

Thomas Mingatti was sworn—He said he was an
inmate of the workhouse, and was night watchman
at the gate. The gate-porter is over me, and I
consider him! my master. Mr. Gramma was the
gate-porter on duty that night. Ido not recollect
a sailor applying for admission an Friday nighi.. I
came on duty at nine o'clock. I will swear t) the
best of my recollection I do not remember a pers Sri
like a sailor applying for admission on Friday
night. I remember the woman Hewitt applying
for admission, and told her we had no casual ward
for six months, but if she belonged to the parish
she could apply to the overseer. They take them
into the separation ward. We had not admitted
any casuals that night or the previous night. I
knew there were women and children lying outside
the gate, and I told the porter of it. He said he
could not let them in. I have no instructions but
from the gate porter.
Mr. Cameron—The gate porler's duties are care-
fully defined.
Mingatti said he was paid Is. 6d. per week and
a pint of porter as night watchman. lie was an
inmate of the house.
The Coroner condemned the practice of employ-
ing paupers in any office.
Edward Gramma said—l am gate-porter of St.
Pancras Workhouse. I was on duty on Frid ty
night, at 2 o'cicck, and remained on duty till 9 on
Saturday morning. The casual wards have been
done away with these eight or nine months, since
the new buildings called the "separate ward." If
a person came to the gate at 11 or 12 o'clock, in
the utmost state of dstitution, I have no discre-
tion, and no power to admit them:
By Mr. Cook—lf persons state they are ill, it is
my duty to admit them to the separate ward and
send for a doctor. _ _ _

The witness was called upon to read the 3d regu-
lation as to the admission of paupers—" That a
pauvr may be admitted by tho master of the wak-

house without an order, in case of any sudden or
urgent necessity."
Coroner—What do you mean by a sudden or
urgent necessity ?
Mr. Cook—lllness or destitution.

The Coroner said some important points had 1,
been raised in this inquiry, and a moral question
was also raised as t 3 the mode of administering re-
lief, and he had no doubt but that the directors of
the poor, who, from all ho had heard, were endea-
vouring to -effect great reforms in the Workhouse
of St. Pancras, would make a rigid inquiry into it:
Mr. Cameron said, so anxious were the directors
to do so, that in consequence of a rumour that the
deceased man had applied for relief and been re-
fused, they had, at their board meeting that after-
noon, already instituted an inquiry to ascertain if
it were true, and found that it was not so. They
were most anxious to have the case rigidly investi-
(-fated.
The Coroner here said he had two juries waiting
for him at that late hour, and if the jury would
determine either to come to a verdict or an ad-
journment he would feel obliged.
The jury retired, and in the course of a few
minutes returned, and the foreman stated that his
brother jurors, as well as himself, agreed that the
inquiry was of so much public importance that they
considered an adjournment nee .sary.
The inquiry was then adjourned accordingly.

IMPERIAL PAR LIAMEN T

HOUSE OF LORDS-(YESTERDAY.)

Their lordships assembled at two o'clock.
ROYAL COMMISSION.

The Royal assent was given by commission to the
following bills :—Consolidated Fund (Appropriation),
Customs and Excise, Customs, Court of Session (Scot-
land), Charitable Trusts Act Amendment, Jurisdiction
in Siam, Reformatory Schooh, Married Women
Reversionary Interest, Valuation of Lands (Scot-
land) Act Amendment, Joint Stock Com-
panies, Bankruptcy and Insolvency (Ireland),
Probate and Letters of Administration, Lunatics (Scot-
land), Boundaries of Burghs (Scotland), Police (Scot-
land), Smoke Nuisance Abatement (Scotland), Dunbar
Harbour loan, Metropolitan Police Stations, &0., Millis
Pay, Revising Barristers (Dublin), Mutiny (Eastlndia),
Parochial Schoolmasters (Scotland), Probate and Letters
of Administration (Ireland), Joint-stock Companies Act
(1856) Amendment; Burial Acts Amendment, Militia,
Sale of Obscene Books, &c., Prevention, Dulwich Col-
lege, Pimlico Improvement, Lancaster and Carlisle and
Ingleton Railway, Eastern Bengal Company, Scinde
Railway, Mersey conservancy (No. 2), Lord River's
Estate, Baroness Windor's Estate, Duke of Bridge-
water's Estate, Carsw's Estate, and Keay's Divorce.
The Lords' Comuissionera were the Lord Chancellor,
Lord Panmure, anC the Earl of Harrowby.