The Sun.
London, England, 1844-06-13 00:00:00

THAMES POLICE.

Yesterday, Mr. John Cockburn Belaney, the writer of a
work upon falconry, and who represented himself as a sur-
geon, was brought up in custody of police-sergeant M'Cardell,
No. 4 K, charged on suspicion of having caused the death
of his wife Rachel, by administering to her a quantity of
prussic acid on Saturday last, at the house 46, Green-street,
Stepney.
The prisoner, who leant on the front of the dock in a very
dejected manner during the inquiry, appeared to be about 45
years of age. Previously to the inquiry being entered into,
the prisoner requested a postponement of the case, as he had
sent for counsel to conduct the defence.

Mr. BRODERIP said, that any evidence which might be
taken could be read over on the arrival of the barrister, who
stanrcies
Ntyoeuld then have an opportunity of putting any questions to
soner—ln my position, Sir, under
hysTitnesses which he thought necessary.
~ , the complexion of the case is vertyhedaprrkese. present circum-
stances,
only to,
Mr. BRODERIP I • "
be.filled_up by the evidence brought before me.
must view it as a complete blank, which
stated that on Tuesda)
in her house on.
Mrs. Matilda Hipping- t 11
_s a , 46, Green-street, Stepney,
weektheapart-
mentstwenty ground floor for himself and his
minutesprisoner
r before eight o'clock on Satur-
day morning last,thp
ii.d indeed
deceased lying on the bed apparentlydi'd go up,
come up, my wife is very ill."
Ili: a strong fit. Witness
lgidicout, "Mistress ! Mistress !
and found the
raised her up, and said " She is very
feet iThenNv warm
pri-
soner said, " Pray to something forie
water," and the water was at once prro'cupuretdierThe prisoner
and a servant girl proceeded to rub her feet, aid witness said,
" Oh ! send fig somebody." A
Mrs. M'Eachern
and a Cap-
tain Clark, friends of the prisoner and his wife, were then
sent for, and ultimately Mr. Garrett, a surgeon, was called
in. At that time the upper part of the deceased's body was
dreadfully convulsed. me prisoner said he was himself a
medical man, and would bleed the deceased, but that she had
no pulse ; he added, that he supposed she was labouring under
an affection of the heart, of which her mother had died nine
months previously. The prisoner and Captain Clark rubbed
the deceased's legs, the Captain using a clothes brush, the
operation seemed to revive her a little, and a mustard plaster
was then applied to her chest ; but witness could not say
whether by the Captain or by the prisoner. The deceased
breathed about twice after Captain Clark came in, and died
with a convulsive gasp upon wituess's shoulder. Her death
4

occurred about a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes after
the witness went up ; but it was difficult to point out the
precise time of her death, there were such long intervals be-
tween the gaspings. There were two tumblers on the table
by the bedside, and the nearest one seemed to have been full
of a clear liquid, which witness neither tasted nor smelt.
Witness saw no phial, except a bottle in which, she under-
stood, a black draught had been brought for the deceased.
She saw no broken glass in the place. So far as she observed,
the prisoner and his wife lived happily together. She
played on the piano for him. They had been at the theatre
together, and had had friends to visit them. She was a
pretty little woman, twenty years of age, and about seven
months advanced in pregnancy. Their intercourse seemed
to be more like that of father and daughter than of husband
and wife.

At this stage of the proceedings, Mr. Charnock, the bar-
rister, and Mr. Hicks, the solicitor, appeared for the defence.
Sarah Williams, servant to the last witness, deposed to the
affectionate terms upon which the deceased and the prisoner
appeared to live. On the Wednesday after they came Mr.
Belaney sent the witness for a black draught, and then
brought out a basin which he requested her to empty. No
medicine was purchased by witness after the Wednesday.
About 7 o'clock, on Saturday morning, the prisoner called
for a glass and a spoon, which witness took to him, and he
then said that he was going to write. At a quarter to 8
a.m., the prisoner called ou " Mistress ! Mistress ! my wife
is very ill !" Witness went up, and saw she was foaming
at the mouth, but she was not convulsed. The prisoner
bathed her feet and legs in hot water, and said he would use
the lancet, but that she had no pulse. He then sat down
and cried, saying that she was in a fit, and that he feared she
should not get out of it. Witness saw one tumbler on the
table half full of clear liquid.
_ _

Mrs. Hippingstall being recalled, said she never heard any-
thing unpleasant pass between the deceased and the prisoner.
The tumblers stood on the side table at the head of the bed,
and both appeared to have been used. The furthest tumbler
had nothing in it. She saw some salts and a teaspoon on the
table, but nobody, as far as she was aware, tasted the liquid
in the glass. She emptied and rinsed out the glasses but
not at the prisoner's bidding.
Sarah Williams, being re-called, stated that she found a
glass stopper under the piano, in the front parlour, on the
Saturday after the death of deceased. The prisoner appeared
much distressed, and rubbed the face of the deceased conti-
nually with vinegar and water.
Mr. J. B. Curling, surgeon, of New Broad-street, and Lon-
don Hospital, made a post mortal: examination of the body.
on Monday, in the presence of Mr. Garratt, another surgeon.
He found no disease of the heart, but there were traces of an
old disorder on the upper part of the lungs. On examining
the contents of the stomach there was a strong smell of prussic
acid, and its actual presence was discovered on analysation by
Mr. Leithby, an experienced chemist of the London Hospital.
The amount found m the stomach was quite sufficient to de-
stroy life. _ _ _

In his cross-examination Mr. Curlingadmitted thathydro-
cyanic acid was frequently prescribed in small quantities, to
the amount of four or five drops of Scheele's Dilution. One
accustomed to it might increase the quantity with impunity,
but not in the degree that one taking opium might increase
it. Witness was not aware that medical men were in the
habit of using this medicine, and had never used it himself.
He saw the unhappy gentleman at the bar after the post
mortcm examination, but did not mention to him what he
(witness) conceived to be the cause of deceased's death. On
analysing the contents of a stomach he did not look for any
traces of Epsom salts, having satisfied himself thlitxleath re-
sulted from the presence of prussic acid. •
Mr. M. B. Garrett, of No. 3, New-road, St: aeorge'4=, in-the-
East, was at the post mortem examination, and confirmed the
statement of the last witness as to the appearance of the body.
He was called in at about five minutes to nine in the forenoon
of Saturday. The prisoner rose when he entered, and,
though they were strangers, shook hands with him. On
hearing the particulars of the case, witness suggested to
Captain Clark the propriety of having an inquest held, to
which the prisoner, when it was mentioned to him, at once
assented, requesting witness to proceed with it in the regular
course. Witness never stated to the prisoner his opinion as
to the cause of the death of the deceased. Captain Clark and
a Mr. Hobson, a bookseller in the Commercial-road, called on
the witness late on Monday night, and, after a short conver-
sation, the prisoner, who was waiting outside, came in, and
voluntarily made the following statement :—" I have_ been in
the habit of taking Prussic acid for indigestion, at about
three drops in the dose. On Saturday morning Lwas about
to take my usual quantity, but found some difficulty
in removing the glass stopper from the phial. I took
the handle of a tooth-brush, which I used with some
little force, and in so doing the neck of the bottle broke
off. Some of the liquid was spilled, and the remainder I
poured into a tumbler, placing it on a drawer on the tither
side of the loom. I hen went out into the front room to
write to some friends in the country, and I heard a scream
from the bed-room : I proceeded at once to the spot, and
found my wife in convulsions. She said " Dear me, I have
taken something hot or strong out of the tumbler: give me
some cold water." Mr. Garrett proceeded to say, that lie re-
mained silent as to the cause of the deceased's death, until
the examination before the Coroner had taken place.
Mr. Charnock, at this stage of the proceedings, said lie
would rather reserve any evidence lie had for a future in-
quiry; but at the same time he hoped his -Worship would
allow his client an opportunity of being brought up at the
Coroner's inquest.
Mr. Bitomere could not interfere with the proceedings of
another court ; but the evidence before him fully warranted
hint in remanding the prisoner. As he said before, his mind
was a tabitla rasa, only to be imprinted by the evidence.
The case was adjourned to this day week, and Sergeant
M'Cardell was desired by Mr. Symons, the chief clerk, to
collect whatever additional testimony he could procure in the
interim.

The prisoner, who appeared exceedingly dejected, under
the advice of his counsel declined making any defence, and
was then locked up.

STATE OF TRADE.
(From the Manchester Guardian of yesterday.)
There has been a good and steady business in the yarn
market during the last week, and prices are generally
firm, except for the higher counts, which have been for
some time past relatively higher than the rest, and have
now sightly receded. For manufactured goods the
market is not quite so good. The recent commercial
news from the East Indies asd China not being considered
favourable, shirtings have slightly declined in price, and
are more difficult of sale; but printing cloth is tolerably
firm, with a fair business doing.
ROCHDALE FLANNEL MARKET, MONDAY, JUNE 10.—
We have had an improved demand for flannels to-day;
but the manufacturers complain much at the very low
prices offered by the merchants. The wool dealers have
not been very pressing to sell at former prices, on ac-
count of a report very generally circulated, that, at the
colonial wool sales in London last week, that article
fetched between Id. and lid. more than at the last sales

BURNING THE CANDLE AT
BOTH ENDS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Stu,—Some years back Mr. Joplin gave an account of the
proceedings of the Bank during the terrific panic, in the
course of which country banks went down by dozens, and
two of the oldest London firms were compelled to stop, not-
withstanding the possession of enormous wealth, after de-
ducting every demand upon them. On this memorable
occasion the Government openly stated, that the country
had been within forty-eight hours of a state of barter ; and
that it had been saved by the wise and vigorous measures of
the Bank of England.
What was the nature of these measures (suggested, by the
bye, in the teeth of the opinions expressed by Government
and the press, and adoptedby the Directors, by Mr. Joplin)?
Were these measures the procurement of some vast sums
in gold ? The Bank did not possess twenty thousand pounds
in gold on the night preceding the adoption of the measures
in question.
Was it a vigorous contraction of the Bank circulation ?
On the contrary, it was an enormously increased issue—
amounting, in a single week, to about fifty per cent. on its
previous circulation.
_ _

This vast, this almost boundless extension of the paper
currency, stopped the panic, and restored confidence and
prosperity. .
How does Sir Robert Ruin propose to meet a similar emer-
gency, should it arise ? By diminishing the paper currency
in exactly the ratio in which the metallic is diminished! So
that if the coffers of the Bank be emptied by withdrawal of
deposits-of ten millions of gold, the Bank is to be bound to
call in ten millions of its paper 1 Because the well is being
disastrously emptied by an inevitable bucket, a gratuitous
one, on the other side, is to be established, to work pari passu
in the delightful operation.
'Sdeath, Sir, are we all mad ? Shall experience, as well
as reason, be set at nought ? Or are there yet enough of us
left in_pUr senses to seize on this pestilent, prating, meddling
lunatic, and put him under the care of the authorities in
MoorfieldS? COMMON SENSE.

HENLEY-ON-THAMES REGATTA.
This great regatta, of which the patron is Lord Camoys,
and at which the gentlemen of the Universities of Oxford
and Cambridge, with others of the great aquatic clubs, are
expected to contend, will take place on the 25th and 26th
inst. The following entries have been already made, and it
is expected will be added to
The Grand Challenge Cup, for eight-oared boats, open to any
crews composed of the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge,
or London, or schools of Eton and Westminster, or the
officers of the army or navy, or to any club established at
least one year previous to the time of entering :
Oxford—The University Boat Club. (The winners of
1843, and present holders.)
Oxford—The Etona Club.
The Stewards' Challenge Cup for four-oared beats. Same
qualifications as for eights :
London—St. George's Boat Club. (The winners of 1843,
and present holders.)
Oxford—University Boat Club.
Oxford—Subscription Rooms.
London—The Royal Academy.
The District Challenge Cup for four-oared boats, open to any
amateur clubs belonging to any of the towns on the banks
of the Thames from Windsor to Oxford (both inclusive),
established at least one year previous to the time of enter-
ing, who shall not be resident members of the University,
or belong to any University club :
Windsor and Eton Boat Club.

Reading—The Britannia Club.
The Town Challenge Cup, for four-oared boats, open to any
amateur club within five miles of Henley, established at
least one year previous to the time of entering :
Henley—The Albion Boat Club. (The winners of 1843,
and present holders.)
Henley—Dreadnought Cutter Club.
Henley—The Aquatic Club.
To this the former list is added a very beautiful little
prize, entitled the Diamond Sculls, for gentlemen amateur
scullers, open to all England, for which the following gentle-
men have given in their names :—Messrs. Kennedy, A. Ive,
E. G. Peacock, Connant, J. James, Pocock, T. B. Wigham, T.
B. Bumpstead, A. M'Leod, Morgan, and Sir F. Scott.
Many of the above are members of the Universities, and of
the leading London clubs.

YEOVIL.—SING ULAR PRESENTIMENT OF D BATH.—
A man of this town, named William Syrnes, had on many
•ccastons, and for many years past, been heard to de-
clare his conviction, that he should die on the very day
when he should have been married twenty years ; and,
strange to relate, his pre_entiment proved true, as his
death took pla e on Whit-Monday, the 27th of May, on
which day, twenty years before, he was married. his
remains were conveyed to the grave on Thursday week,
and, agreeably with his particular desire, often expressed,
his body was dressed in the same clothes which he wore
when he WAS marriel ; that is, a blue coat, buff waist-
coat, white trousers, and white cotton, stockings, and, as
he was a member of the Yeovil Guardian Friendly So-
ciety, the club ribands and medal (affixed to the button-
hole of his coat, On the left side), were also put on. The
funeral was attended by a number of the member's of the
Society, as well as relatives and friends ; and we believe
that few in humble life have left behind them a better
n am e.—Bristol Mercury,