The Sun.
London, England, 1844-01-25 00:00:00

ftit ,S Int

LONDON:
THURSDAY MORNING, JANUARY 25, 1844.

The examination of witnesses in the Irish State
trials was resumed on Tuesday at 10 o'clock.
They were all members of the constabulary force--
either officers or privates. Their testimony went
to prove the utterance of certain phrases and
expressions, to which the law-officers of the Crown
attached importance, by the traversers and others
who spoke at the several " monster meetings?,
The meetings to which the evidence applied
were those held at Longford, Mallow, Tulla- '
more, Baltinglass, Clontibret, and Tara. The police-
men founded their testimony upon notes which they
took of whatever appeared to them to be inflamma-
tory language, used by the speakers. On their
cross-examination it very frequently came out that
those " recording angels" in black belts were not the
most accurate note-takers in the reporting world.
Their notes appeared to be rather free translations of
the speeches of the Repealers. In one instance a por-
tion of a speech which was delivered at Baltinglass
by Mr. CONNER, of " fixity of tenure" notoriety,
who, it may be in the recollection of the public, was
expelled, some time ago, from the Repeal Association,
for persisting in a motion of an unjust and illegal na-
ture, relative to the tenure of land--a portion of his

speech one of those armed reporters swore was deli-
vered by Mr. O'CONNELL. The Court rose at half-
past four.

Judge BURTON still continues indisposed, and does
not take his seat; his absence is much regretted, as
he is respected by all parties.

One of our Dublin correspondents makes the fol-
lowing remarks on the proceedings :
" The trial progresses, marked with its usual cha-
racteristics of bitterness and asperity on the part of
the Crown lawyer. Indeed, with this exception,
counsel on both sides, and the judges themselves, are
well enough disposed to relax into a smile when occasion
offers. During the very amusing cross-examination
of one of the police-constables, by Messrs. ll.vrcuELL
and WHITESIDE, the ATTORNEY-GENERAL was the
only person whose countenance was unvisited by a
smile. One saw by him that it had no business there.
I do not believe the trials will continue so long as
was at first supposed. It is rumoured that the Crown
will close on 'Wednesday. The traverser's counsel will
occupy four days in addressing the jury. The examina-
tion of witnesses for the defence, the reply-of the Som-
CITOR-GENERAL, and the summing up of the Judge,
will occupy till about the end of the third week. It
is conjectured the jury will be very brief in perform-
ing their portion of the act. Of course this can be
only conjecture; but there are those who know
the men who say it is certain. lam very
much disposed to doubt it myself, judging,
of course, from the nature of the evidence. lam
certain the case would not stand a moment before
English judges, and an English jury."

Whether conviction or acquittal be the result of
the now pending trial, one thing is quite certain that
no Government ever stood in so strange a position,
in relation to the proceedings it has thought proper to
institute—to the mode in which it prepared to com-
mence them—to the manner in which it has carried
them on, before a jury chosen from a fraudulent list—
or to the, effect now produced upon the public mind—
or to be produced hereafter, than the Government, par
excellence, which now rules Ireland. Not a man in
this country cares what verdict that jury may pro-
, flounce, as to its influence upon the country; the
sentiment is universal, that the decision of the jury
is prejudged, pre-determined, and that no evidence
for the prosecution, nor any testimony for the de-
fence, can alter the conclusion to which it is intended
to come. This is entirely owing to the conduct of
the Government, and no blame can attach to any
person, save the Officers of the Crown, for the crea-
tion of the present state of public feeling in relation
to this trial. The jury cannot be blamed for the po-
sition in which they are placed ! it may prove a most
unfounded, a most calumnious, anticipation of their
own intentions—they may be as honest and inde-
pendent a jury as ever stepped into a jury-box, but
they are an unfairly selected and a concocted jury
for all that. The Government, again, has contrived
to place themselves in the character of persecutors, not
prosecutors, and the accused are looked upon as perse-
cuted, more than legally prosecuted. Can it be won-
dered at, that all Englishmen (saving always the hangers-
on of Government, and the ultra-Tories, who thirst
for the very blood of O'CONNELL), look with disgust
at the trial, and value the result not a rush ? Con-
viction will bring no disgrace to the traversers, no
triumph to the Crown Officers, and law is bringing
itself into disgrace, because there is no connection
between it and justice.

such is the feeling as to the operation of the ver-
dict upon the public, and it is shown by the almost
indifference with which the trial is viewed, and
which has been on the increase, ever since the AT-
TOBNEY-GENERAL closed his opening speech. The
evidence has hitherto disclosed nothing, and this
abortion of an Attorney-General's brain, of a Home
Secretary of State's labour, conceived in malice
ushered into the world by trickery and espionage,
realises the very worst specimen of a State prosecu-
tion that even the annals of Toryism afford.

" Montes parturiunt, nascitur ridiculus mus."

But though the effect of a conviction or an ac-
quittal, be nothing on the public mind, for the sake
of justice, for the good of humanity, and for the
vindication of the institutions of our country, it is to
be hoped that the jury may show their total want of
participation in the feelings of those who have chosen
them to be the instruments of legal vengeance, not of
legal judgment and deliberation. It is to be hoped
that the jury will decide upon the evidence, and upon
that alone ; and we know nothing, save common
rumour, and general impression, to which the
indecent boasting of one Tory journal that
a conviction was certain ; of another, tha
the place of O'CoNNELL's imprisonment was already
in preparation; and of a third that Carrickfergus was
to be the prison of Ireland's greatest patriot, to in-
duce us as yet to believe the contrary. Common
rumour is not noted for general truth, and in this
instance both rumour and Tory journalism may
prove to be only the expression of a wish, " the father
to the thought."

The meeting of Parliament on Thursday next, will
happen before this trial can by possibility have
ended,:and it will be no extraordinary occurrence, if,
at the very moment that the traversers are standing
at the Dublin bar, charged with agitating for the
Repeal of the Union, the policy or impolicy of that
Repeal should be the subject of discussion in the
Houses of Parliament. If illegal in Ireland, is the
subject to be illegal in England? If not to be named
there, is it to be proscribed here ? We do not think
that even Sir JAMES GRAHAM will dare to attempt
so to muzzle public opinion here. But time will
show; and we hardly know any proposition too mon-
strous for an English Secretary of State, such as Sir
JAMES GRAHAM, to put forth, if, instead of POLLOCK

and FOLLETT, he had two such law-officers in Eng-
land as Mr. Attorney-General SMITII, to attempt its
establishment.

truculent abuse ! No man ever dreams of "breaking a
butterfly upon a wheel," or condescends to visit with his
stormiest indignation those whom he holds in utter
contempt, and feels to be utterly powerless.
He wisely leaves them to their insignificance,
and reserves his denunciation for those whose hostility
may be dangerous to him. Whatever he may choose to
allege to the contrary, the plain fact is, that Mr. PIGOTT,

like the rest of the corn-law advocates, entertains a deep-
rooted fear of the League. The earnestness and sin-
cerity of his abuse place this beyond a doubt. And well
may he dread this great popular Confederacy, for it is
destined ere long to seal the fate of Monopoly

Madrid papers of the 16th have been received. The
new Finance Minister is busily engaged in schemes to
raise money had for paying the priests and the army. On
that day he a long conference with certain ecclesiastical
dignitaries, the object of which was to advise on the
best means to secure the service of religion, and the
maintenance of the clergy. The Minister of War had
demanded 2,000,000 reals for certain corps d'armie. The
Finance 'Minister promised compliance, but where is
the money to come from ? Reports of an intended in-
surrection in the Biscayan provinces prevailed at Ma-
drid, the object of which was to effect a marriage be-
tween the eldest son of Don CARLos and the QUEEN.
The Three per Cents. were done on the 16th at 26k, at
60 days ; the Five per Cents. at 19i, at 60 days.

On Monday, M. THIERS delivered another speech in
the Chamber of Deputies, against the policy pursued by
the GulzoT Cabinet, but it was of a very mild character.
The ex-Minister evidently has no wish to quarrel with
the KING or his Cabinet, and n-ierelAmakes an opposition
speech to please his friends. In reviewing the state of
affairs since 1837, he said—." The Whigs were an enter-
prising race, but their chiefs were not men of a very con-
ciliatory disposition. In 1837 they urged France to join
them in an armed intervention in Spain, but Austria,
having been consulted, was of a contrary opinion, and
her advice was unfortunately attended to. Hence the
origin of the dissolution of the alliance, and the result
was, that in Belgium France was deserted by England ;
in Italy England openly declared against her, and France
was obliged to evacuate Ancona. In Spain the hostility
of England was also manifested; andin the East she was
found in league with the continental Powers of Europe."
M. TIMES then proceeded to justify the line of policy
he had adopted when thus abandoned by England, and
contended, that had France "maintained an independent
and dignified attitude, and trusted to her immense re- '
sources, the Powers of Europe would never have
dared to attack France, and she would not
have suffered any humiliation." No Power
in Europe dreamt of attacking France. She
isolated herself from all, raised a war-cry which alarmed
neighbouring States, but did no injury to any nation but
France. That war-cry laid the foundation of the new
bastiles, which will render the short administration of
M. THIERS immortal. M. GulzoT briefly replied, and
contended successfully that France had made no conces-
sions to England, and that the relations between the
two countries were benevolent and loyal, not only in
words but deeds. The report about a change of Ministry
turns out to be mere gossip. The Funds continued firm
on Monday.
BOURSE—PA, MONDAY,
stsHighes J
t Lowest
2.
west 2 L u t
Price. Price. Price. Price.
French Five per Cents. 124 8.5... 124 85... 124 75 .. 124 85
Threes. B2 65... 82 65... 82 55.. 82 60
Bank of France 3272 40...3272 50...3270 ...3270
Laffitte Bank I,ooof 1112 50 ..1112 50...1112 50...1112 50
Belgian Bank 697 50... 697 50... 695 ... 695

The seventh annual dinner of the Buckingham Con-
servative Association took place in that town on Mon-
day last. The Duke of BucßiNcuem was in the chair,
and among the guests were Sir Trtosus FREMANTLE
and Mr. PIGOTT, the former of whom, notwithstanding
that he was urgently solicited to speak out, took care to
maintain a discreet reserve respecting the intentions of
Ministers as regards the corn-laws. Though the meet-
ing professed to be friendly to Government, yet it was
by no means unanimous on the subject, and Mr. DAY-
BELL but spoke the sentiments of many of those who
were present, when he observed, " it was not necessary
to go into a history of the proceedings of the Ad-
ministration, or examine their acts one by
one ; let them look generally at their spirit, and ask
themselves whether those acts were of a nature to com-
mand their confidence. When he stated, at the last an-
niversary, that they would not then receive the health
of the Right Hon. Baronet at the head of the Govern-
ment with the same enthusiasm as before, some gentle-
man objected to the observation ; but he must say
subsequent events had tended to confirm his views, that
their sentiments of regard towards Ministers had under-
gone some alteration." Considering that the Bucks
Association professes to have confidence in Sir ROBERT
PEEL, as one who will take special care not to
seriously damage the interests of the monopolists, we
do not think the above frank and truthful
observation—which was received with loud cries of
"Hear, hear"—wears a very encouraging aspect for the
Premier. A gentleman named Pioorr " gave tongue"
with surprising volubility on the subject of the Anti-
Corn-law League, which ho described as an audacious
attempt at fraud and humbug, compared with which all
former attempts at knavery were merely so many out-
bursts of excessive modesty ! He then alluded to what
he called,the " blasphemous pamphlets" of the League—
blasphemous, we presume, because they dare to rail
against the omnipotence of monopoly—and added
with uncommon unction, "he believed in his con-
science that a more barefaced attempt to palm
off a conspiracy for private purposes as an associ-
ation for the public good—a more barefaced attempt to
render the vital interests of the whole nation subservient
to the avarice and ambition of a comparatively small
number of the people—was never in our whole history
witnessed before." This, it must be confessed, is sound,
hearty abuse, not unadorned with such pearls as fall
from the lips of Billingsgate fishwomen ; and we must
own to having been exceedingly amused with the evident
sincerity that pervades it. Strange to say, however, im-
mediately after having disburthened himself of this load
voitifeviotn hupteraattiozit,he League the
esapeaeker
,ee now powerless,
stated it ashisdeei
bdeedeacuonse-
they were unmasked ; they had not a single class in
the country with them." Why then launch the
fierce thunders of your indigation against them, Mr.
PIGOTT ? Why take such pains to raise them into im-
portance by pouring forth the full vials of your wrath
upon their heads ? If the League be really so insigni-
ficant as you would have us believe, surely it is lost time
Bud most Cgregiol/6 lEapOlicy to visit them with such

_
1841 -.1080 ...1080 -.1080 -.1080
Belgian Five. ........... 107 ... 107 ... 107 ... 107

1840.... 109 ... 109 ... 108/ ... 109
1842.... 1101 ... 110 ... 1101 ... 110
Dutch 2i per Cents... bbi bb ... 551
Spanish Active 30i 30 ... 301 ... 301
Passive 61 ... 61 ... 5/ 51
Portuguese Fives ... 461 ... 46/ ... 461 ... 46/
Neapolitan 106 95... 107 ... 106 95... 107
Roman .... 1051 1050 .. 1051 ... 1051

TH:JE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY MORNING, JANUARY 25, 1844.

MONEY AND COMMERCIAL NE WS
CITY, WIDNESILIT ETICHINCI.
The funds leave off well, Consols being 97/ to and the
other securities as in the morning, except that India stock was
done at 276 i.
The Foreign Market continued firm. Spanish Five per
Cents. got up to 22% and 23, and the Three per Cents. to
31i /. Venezuela were as high as 381 to 391/2 ; Portuguese
Converted brought 47 to 48 ; French Five per Cents. 124
12, ; and Dutch Five per Cents., 10]&.
The additional transactions in Railway Shares have been
these :—Birmingham and D, rby were 41i ; Ditto, Thirds,
5} to / ; Eastern Counties New, 13 ; ; and
South Eastern, 14/ discount. Edinburgh and Glasgow,
9}; Hull and selby, 10i; Birmingham, 146; South West-
ern, 351, Croydon, 1g; Manchester and Leeds Quarter,
8; Northern and Eastern, 9to ; Sheffield, Ashton-uuder-
Lyne, and Manchester Quarter, 2L ; South Eastern Scrip,
11/ ; York and North Mialand, 72 ; Ditto, New, 341 ; and
Ditto, Scarborough Branch, 15i premium.
(From The Sun of Last Night.)
The Cotton Market at Liverpool, yesterday, was very dull.
Sales 3,000 bales—viz., 400 bales Egyptian, at 7d to B%d ;
100 Pernam, at Gad ; 200 Surat, at 34c1; and the rest Ame-
rican, at 5d to 6}d.—Shares were not so good, but still the
demand was fair. Eastern Counties were 10a ; Edinburgh and
Glasgow, 59k; Grand Junction, 235 ; North Midland Half,
46} ; Paris and Lyons, 21. Ils. 6d.
The statement made in some quarters, and assumed from
authority, that Queen Christina will soon take her depar-
ture from Paris to Madrid, to use her influence in strengthen-
ing the Go.rnment of her daughter, has caused much conver-
sation in City circles, more especially among the Spanish
merchants and the bondholders. Notwithstanding all that has
been said against Queen Christina, a belief is expressed pretty
freely that advantages would result from the presence of that
individual in the capital of the country of which Donna
Isabella is now the reigning Queen. The value of the Bonds
has been but little affected by the report in question.
The appointment of Mr. Montgomery Martin to the post of
Treasurer of Hong-Kong, officially gazetted last night, has
given much satisfaction to the mercantile interest.
Some commercial letters were received from Malta by the
last mail, which are of interest. The transactions in our manu-
factures had been much increased. It is represented that aidi-
tional facilities were to be given to parties settling in the island,
which is well known to possess advantages relative to health,
which are much to be desired by individuals who require a mild
climate.

The Funds are firm this morning. The Government broker
purchased 20,000/. to 25,000/. stock, principally in the Three
per Cents. of 1726. These constant investments in the Three
per Cents., to the exclusion of the Three-and-a-Half p"r
Cents., tends to strengthen the belief that the reduc-
tion of the interest upon the latter is resolved upon.
Consols for Account have been quoted at 974, and
for Money at 9714. The present price is within a frac-
tion of the highest that has ruled since business commenced.
The purchase in the Three per Cents. of 1726 was at 96i, and
in Consols at 971%. Bank Stock has been sold again at 194.
A slight improvement has taken place in Exchequer Bills,
which are now worth 68s. premium. For India Bonds 80s.
premium have been paid, for India Stock 2774 ; for the Three-
and-a•Half per Cents. Reduced 103; and for the Reduced
Three per Cents. 97; to 98.
A slight improvement has taken place in the Spanish Bond
Market this morning, the Three per Cents. being worth 31i
311, and the Five per Cents. 24. Dutch Stock has im-
proved to 554 for the f wo.-and-a-Half per Cents., and to 1004
for the Five per Cents. Portuguese Converted Bonds have
been sold at 463 for Money, and at 473 for Account. Colom-
bian, ex Venezuelan, have risen to 12; Mexican, from 333 to
344 ; and Brazilian to 78.
A considerable amount of business has been transacted in
the Railway Share Market to-day, and very generally at ad-
vanced prices. The London and Birmingham have touched
145 premium, and the South Western, 354 premium. The
latest quotations of the other Shares are annexed.
MANCHESTER STOCK EICUANGE, JAN. 23.--We have
had an extensive business to-day in Railway Shares, at full
prices, and our market closes firmly. The transactions are—
Dublin and Drogheda, 561/2 ; Eastern Counties, Debentures,
Registered, 11/. 16s. 3d. ; London and Birmingham, New
Quarters. 30* 30%; South Western, 774 cum New ; North
Midland, Halves, 464 ; ditto Thirds, 304; Sheffield and Man-
chester, Quarters, 43/4 ; south Eastern, Scrip, 364 ; Eastern
Counties, Perpetual, 16s. ; Rochdale Canal, 614.
CLOSING PRICES.
BRITISH FUNDS.
Bank Stock
3 per Cent. Red.
3 per Cent. C0n5...... 974 Ditto Old Annuities —
34 per Cent. Red lO3 Ditto New Annuities.. 954
New 34 per Cent lO2 Ex. Bills, 1,000/. 13d. 68 pm
New 5 per Cent.
Long Annuities to expire Ditto 5ma11..." 68 pm
Jan. 1860
Oct. 1859
Jan. 1860 ...... IConsols for Acct...... 974
FOREIGN FUNDS.
liu.trian, 5 per cent.... Portuguese, 5 per cent.
Belgian. 5 per cent — Ditto, New Ditto
flrazilianlßonds ...... 773 Prussian, 5 per cent —
PI ionos Ayres 6 per cent ;Russian, 5 per cent.
Wham, 6 per cent 1044 :Ditto, Metallic ...... .
Colombian, 6 per cent ll4 !Spanish, 5 per cent
Ditto 1524 — ;Ditto, 3 per cent... 314
Cuba Bonds, 6 per cent ll4 IDitto Deferred....
Danish, 3 per sent — Frencli, 5 per cent.l24f. 25-.
Greek, 1525, 5 per cent — Exchange...... —f —c.
Mexican, 5 per cent —i French, 3 per cent. —f. —c.
Ditto, 6 per cent. 1837 Dutch, 24 per cent. 554
Peruvian,lB2s,6 perct. Ditto, 5 per cent.... 1013
'IES.

SHAr,
Birmingham and Derby (100 paid)
Ditto Thirds (25 paid)
Eastern Counties (23 paid)
Ditto New Shares (25 paid) . . • 12
Ditto Extension (13s 4d paid)
Edinburgh and Glasgow (50 paid) 59%
Ditto Registered (126 paid) ... ..... l4l
Gravesend, Rochester, and Chatham (26 p) 2i
Great Western (75 paid)
... 1106
Ditto Half Shares (50 paid)
Hull and Selby (50 paid) - 606
London and Blackwall (16/ 13s 4d paid)
London and Birmingham ( paid).. ..... 246
London and South Western (41/ 6s 10d pd) 761
London and Croydon Railway (Trunk)
Manchester and Leeds (70 paid) ...... ...... 1106
Ditto New Quarter Shares ( 2 paid) lO
Northern and Eastern (45 paid)
Paris and Orleans (20 paid)
South Eastern and Dover (50 paid) ......
Ditto Scrip (25 paid)
York and North Midland (50 paid) ..
York and Scarboro' Branch (26 paid) lBl

LATE HOURS OF BUSINESS.
The Annual Meeting of the " Metropolitan Drapers' Asso-
ciation" was held on Tuesday in Exeter Hall ; J. E. Tennent,
Esq., M. P., in the chair. The meeting was fully and respect-
ably attended. By the Report of the proceedings of the Asso-
ciation during the past year, it appears that there are in London
15,000 milliners and dressmakers, 16,796 clothiers and linen-
drapers' assistants, 12,831 grocers, and 2,500 chemists—total,
251,100 ; that 211. have been paid for a prize essay on the late
hours of business ; and that from the gratuitous circulation o 7
tracts the Association have cause to congratulate the public on
the successful prosecution of their labours. Perhaps there is
no system extant so pernicious, so utterly destructive •f social
comfort, morals, and intellect as the present system of late
hours of business. It appears that young men and women of a
tender age are obliged to labour unremittingly in a vitiated
atmosphere for seventeen hours a day, and that frequently on
Saturday nights their labours are prolonged to 1 and 2 o'clock
the next morning. It behoves, then, the mothers of families for
the future to deal only with those who do not employ the
young and dependent, to unseasonable hours—to deal only with
those who close at a reasonable hour. It is almost impossible
to conceive the misery, distress of mind and body entailed on
thousands by the present system of hours of business adopted
by the generality of the trades of the metropolis. Many of the
linendrapers, in an extensive way of business, now close at seven
o'clock ; and from their statements it appears that they have
no reason to regret the adoption of this improved plan. It also
appears that the young men employed in these houses of busi-
ness, which are closed at seven o'clock in the evening, are, as
was evidenced in their address to the meeting, a highly intel-
ligent class of men ; that they do nut abuse the time placed in
their hands.

Several gentlemen of acknowledged talent addressed the
meeting. Resolutions, condemnatory of the late hour system,
were passed, without one dissenting voice, and the meeting
separated at a late hour.

TORY DECENCY.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—lt is a maxim of our law that " every man is to be
presumed innocent, until he is proved to be guilty."
Who would imagine that such a maxim was generally ad-
mitted, when he perused the leading articles of the Standard
and Times—the first incessantly implying the guilt of Mr.
O'Connell and his co-traversers, the second boldly designating
them as " conspirators," and (vide Times of Monday, Jan. 22)
" seditionists."
I am not disposed to raise a smile of pitying astonishment on
the countenances of your readers, by appearing to expect from
the editors of Tory papers, even the slightest knowledge of the
laws of their country, or of those of candour and justice—but
surely ignorant, prejudiced, and unjust, as they may be, we
are entitled to call upon them for common decency—or, at
least, requiring that if they have not any such quality, they
should pay the tribute to virtue of affecting it.
I am, dear Sir, yours, PUBLICOL "a.

IRISH Soar.—The Lords of the Treasury having
had before them a letter addressed to Sir Robert Peel, by the
Irish Soap Company at Cork, representing that by the Excise
regulations soap-makers in Ireland are prohibited from export-
ing soap to England, in packages containing less than 30 lb.
weight ; and requesting that the permission now restricted to
packages of that size and upwards, may be extended to packages
of and above 10 lb. weight ; and their Lordships having also
had before them a memorandum prepared by the Chairman of
the Board of Excise, from which it appears that no risk would
attach to the revenue by compliance with the application, they
have authorised the Commissioners of Customs to permit the
exportation of soap, from Ireland. to England, in packages of
10 lb. weight and upward, and h copy of the order has been
forwarded to the collectors .nd controllers of the several ports
of the United Kingdom, foi their information and government.
FRIGHTFUL TRAGEDY.—On Friday a dreadful and
desperate murder was committed in Burntisland, which cussed
deep and general excitement and regret amongst the inhabitants.
A man named Sliman, a shoemaker we believe, who had been
frequently under restraint while living previously in Berwick,
had been heard to threaten to kill several respectable indi-
viduals in the town and neighbourhood, under a mental delu-
sion that they were possessed of and withheld some money or
broperty belonging to him. However, no belief seems to have
een entertained that he would put any such threat into exe-
cution, and he was allowed to go at large. But on Friday, or
the evening before, he had been seen sharpening two large pointed
knives, and the Provo-t being made aware of this circumstance,
we have been told by Sliman's father, he granted warrants to the
town officer, named Corstorphine, to apprehend him, The
latter sent to Kinghorn for Simpson, the town officer there,
to assist him, and in the course of Friday forenoon they
came up to Sliman in the Links, when Corstorphine, taking him
by the arm, told him he would consider himself a prisoner.
The maniac asked on what warrant ; but before it could be
produced, struck a knife into the officer's hand, nearly cutting
it in two, and in another instant ran the knife into his heart.
Cerstorphine held the warrant of apprehension under his vest,
and it was pierced through by the knife, in its passage to his
body. He fell down instantly, and died in two or three
minutes. The maniac tied to his own house, where he barri-
caded himself in a garret; and as it was dangerous to come
near him, another officer was sent for to Kirkaldy, and the posse
comitatus raised, armed with such lethal instruments as they
could lay hold of. Finding they could not easily break into
his barricade, orders were then given, and slaters procured, to
unroof the house. This proceeding had commenced, when
Sliman, imagining the egress would be now flee, undid the
c'oor and bolted down stairs ; but was fortunately secured by
the officers before doing further injury to any one. Sliman kas
a wife and several children in Burntisland. The officer, Cor-
storphine, was unmarried, but much respected in his office,
and his untimely and tragical death is much lameoxl by .;441
rholo eetntauity.l. Caledonian lifercury.