The Sun.
London, England, 1850-07-26 00:00:00

(Before Mr. GREAvEs, Q.C.)

POLICE TRICKS-CONFESSIONS.
John Rogers, William .Hughes, and Richard Huxley,
were indicted for stealing, on the, 20th inst., at Kings-
winford, 268 lb. of rope, the property of Charles Wood-
cock and others.

Mr. R. Thomas appeared for the prosecution, and Mr.
Huddlestone for the defence of Huxley. The other two
prisoners pleaded guilty.
This case was noticeable chiefly for a trick perpe-
trated by a police officer in endeavouring to make up evi-
dence, and the censure of the bench upon him for it.
The prisoner Huxley when arrested denied all know-
ledge of the theft, but from the other prisoners the
policeman got a confession, in which one of them Rogers,
exculpated Huxley. This confession was made in the
absence of Huxley, and the police-officer knowing that
it would not therefore be evidence against him unless
it were repeated is his presence, brought the three
prisoners together, and then said to Rogers and
Hughes, "Now repeat what you stated before." There-
upon they repeated their former confessions, and
though Huxley, the moment Hughes exculpated him,
denied the charge most vehemently, the constable re-
peated Hughes's confession to-day as evidence against
Huxley. This course his Lordship severely censured
telling the policeman that if he ever pursued such a
course again, he should not be allowed to repeat it a
third time in the character of a policeman, and in sum-
ming up the case to the jury said that such conduct
was most dangerous—that policemen ought not to at-
tempt to make out evidence in such a manner against a
prisoner, that it would be perilous to encourage such a
mode of getting up evidence, a 4, if the parties really
guilty confessed, they might have some object in fixing
guilt or suspicion on innocent parties, in order to pro-
tect some cf their own associates, or to obtain some
other improper object. Such conduct in a policeman
was extremely reprehensible, and juries should be par
titularly on their guard against evidence so obtained.
Verdict, Not Guilty.
TH

E STEAM-BOAT EXPLOSION
AT BRISTOL.
The inquest was resumed this day (Thursday), but
prior to entering upon the evidence produced, we are
obliged to state that two additional deaths have taken
place in the infirmary, and the bodies of a male and
female have been raised in the floating harbour.
The first witness called this morning was
John Nicholas, who deposed that he is a smith and
boiler maker, and had been so for full forty years. Ile
saw the boiler of the Red Rover about three weeks since,
having been requested to do so by the captain, Mr.
Muddy. Did not look at it inside, the man-hole not
being large enough. Mr. Anderson, the proprietor of
the boar. was present. He found the state of the boiler
to be very bad, all the stays having been pushed in by
the pretsuro of steam ; there was also a crack in the
end stay to the length of about e;ghteen inches. Mr.
Anderson asked him if he could repair the boiler, and
he replied that he could not to wake a safe job of it,
unless he put new tops, sides, and ends. Afterwards
saw the boiler with a patch over the crack. Told Mr.
Anderson that that patch would not strengthen it, but
Would only prevent a leakage; it was an old boiler. Ills
doll aterwards put a patch on the boiler, and told wit-
ness that the sit amer was again at work. Witness said
to his son, •' You ought to have known- better; the
steamer is not safe to travel in." Ills son was after-
wards employed as engineer aboard the boat, and lost
his life by the accident. Witness remonstrated with
him for taking the situation; and if his ad►ice had been
taken his son would now probably have been alive. lie
told him how dangerous was the state of the boiler.
Could see that the boiler had not been made of new
plates, and the strength of iron is lost by repeated
heating.

The Coroner and jury here went and viewed the boiler.
Upon their return,
John Nicholas was re-examined, and stated that he
had viewed the boiler, which had exploded in conse-
quence of the stays having given way. There were but
three stays in the boiler, whereas there ought to have
been nine. The plates when new were probably 5-16ths of
an inch in thickness ; they are now less by the wear.
For such a boiler the thickness_ should have been 7-16ths,
or 3.Bzhs of an inch, not less. The boiler was unsafe
fur such a vessel from two causes—first, that it was too
thin; and, secondly, that it bad not a sufficient number
of stays. Never saw such a boiler with so few stays.
If the boiler had been good it might have burst through
mismanagement. An accident would happen if the water
were allowed to.go under the fireplace, but that was not
the case in the present instance. On Sunday last
the boiler leaked so much that the steamer had to put
back.

James Tomlin, waterman, deposed thatithe Red
Rover came from Waterford at the end of April last.
He had agraed to purchase her, and paid a small de-
posit. When the boat came she made several trial trips,
but did not perform to his satisfaction; and Mr. Ander-
son then offered to reduce the purchase money by 20/.
Further conversations took place, and he was further
offered a reduction of 40/. in the price, and he then said
he would take it if the boat were placed in proper order.
He saw that the boiler andstubes 'were continually leak-
ing;
,when they were making a trial trip a screw flew
out and nearly struck a man's eye out.
John Gough, landlord of the Marquis of Granby,
and engineer by trade, stated that he had examined
the boilers, and they were good, and would have worked
well for twelve mouths.
Mr. Payne, who, however, admitted that he was th•
proprietor of rival river steamers, gave as his opinion,
as an engineer, that the boilers and engine were faulty
and imperfect. _ _

Dr. Pairbruther described the nature of the injuries
received by the deceased.

This being the whole of the evidence, a question arose
as tJ whether there should be an adjournment. Some of
the jury wished to have the evidence of the engineer
that was originally connected with her at Waterford.
It was, however, ultimately, determined not to adjourn,
and

The Coroner, at great length, summed up the evi
deuce, and had not concluded when our report left.

REPRESENTATION OF TILE CITY OF
LONDON'.
At a meeting of the electors of the city of London,
held yesterday, at the Londo❑ Tavern,. Bishopsgate-
street, for the purpose of considering the course that
ought to be pursued by the Baron Lionel Rothschild, in
consequence of the abandonment by the Government of
the Jewish Disabilities Bill for the present session, John
Abel Smith, Esq., in the chair, a resolution was passed
—" That Baron Rothschild proceed to-morrow (this
day) to the House of Commons, and claim to take his
seat."

Baron ROTHSCHILD said he would go down to the
Homo to-morrow (►his day), but he could not help say-
ing he thought the subject was attended with more diffi-
culty than they'imagined.
Arrangements wen then made that the electors pre-
sent at that meeting should meet Baron Rothschild at
the llo'uze of Commons.

[AnvEnnstmENT.]—Cure of an Ulcerated Leg by
Holloway's Ointment and Pills.—Mr. John Olive, well knew n
in Geelong, Port Philip, publishes in the Melbourne Morning
Herald, of June 22, 1849, the following extraordinary case:—
" I had been afflicted for three years with an ulcerated leg, and
had the best medical treatment in Melbourne and Van Die-
men's Land without experiencing any relief, when, hearing of
the wonderful cures effected by Holloway's Pills and Oint.
ment, I resolved upon trying them, and with gratitude I ac-
knowledge that, after using them and attending to the direc-
tions, I found my leg effectually cured in a very shorttime.
Signed, John Olive."—Sold by all respectable venders of in :t
dicinos throughout the civilised world, and at Professor Hol-
loway's Establishment, 244, Strand, London.
He who chooses to gaze perpetually on a de} avd
picture of humanity gradually assimilates himself to his
d —Elk.a Cook's Journal.

ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. —The Que.n
has been pleased to present to the Zoological Society tie
enormous land tortoise recently brought from the Cape of
Good hope in her Majesty's ship Geyser. The menag(rie
has received some further additions during the current week,
including a male tapir, from South America, and some small
but interesting quadrupeds from West Africa.