The Sun.
London, England, 1857-07-09 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE-July 8.

WORSHIP-STREET.--Joseph Denby, an ill-
favoured thick-set young fellow, was charged with
attempting to break into and enter the dwelling-
house of Mr. Black, a merchant residing at the
"Priory," Lower Clapton, under peculiar circum-
stances, detailed by Mrs. Black with considerable
naivete.

About half-past six o'clock in the morning the
lady was somewhat alarmed by a slight yet suspici-
ous noise below ' stairs, and descending made her
way to the larder, fairly presuming from prior in-
cursions there that it was then the scene of opera-
tion ; quietly peeping in at the door she observed
the prisoner with one hand thrust through the
aperture of the iron bars, and tenaciously grasping
the tongue of an ox, which he appeared-to have
selected from the various viands resting in dishes
on the shell beneath. The tongue, however, was
too large to pass through the space with the thief's
fingers closed on it, and, moreover, being cooked,
was like many others, very slippery, and it con-
tinually fell back again. Mrs. Black noticing that
the article was becoming terribly " mauled,"
thought it time to interfere, and opening an adja-
cent window, called loudly for "Pluto." The
m4nuiler started as the deep bay of a hound broke
through the stillness, and leaving the tongue
wedged between the bars, ho scoured off across the
lawn. " Pluto, Pluto," was repeated from the win-
dow by the lady. A rush was heard among the
shrubs at the farther end of the grounds, and just
as the fellow reached it, Pluto made his appearance
therefrom in the formidable shape of an enormous
Newfoundland dog. Both were at a stand for half
a m'nute • then the thief stepped slowly and
gradually backwards. Pluto majestically followed
him. The thief yelled ; Pluto growled ; and at this
critical juncture, while the animal was apparently
waiting further orders from his mistress, the gar-
dener and other servants issued from the house,
and seized the scoundrel, who manifestly considered
their custody much preferable to that of Pluto's. The
dog was prevented from injuring him, and a police
constable subsequently conducted the prisoner to
the station-house. When asked by the attendant,
." What brought you her ?" he answered ",Why,
my legs to be sure."
A sergeant of the N division said he had had the
accused in custody three times for feiony, and he
was a notorious area sneak. He had also been
convicted at the Middlesex Sessions.

The magistrate told the fellow that he should not
send him for trial this time, but order him to be
imprisoned for three calendar months in the House
of Correction with hard labour.

SOUTHWARK.—Anthone de Salvi, an Italian,
residing at 7, Little James-street, Pall-mall, de-
scribed on the charge sheet as a merchant, and
Jahez Samuel Gower, auctioneer, of 26, Barbican,
were charged, the former with stabbing Mr. Robt.
H. Robertson, with intent to murder him, in the
Queen's Prison, and the latter with inciting him to
do the same.

Charles Collwell said—l am chief turnkey of the
Queen's Prison.. There is a genthman named
Robert Henderson Robertson confined in No. 4 in
10 room, and be is now in a dangerous state from
wounds inflicted on him with some sharp instru-
ment. About half-past two o'clock this afternoon,
in consequence of information I received, I hag-
tened into the yard, where I saw a number of per-
sons collected, and then I heard that Mr. Robertson
had been stabbed. Thera was great excitement in
that portion of the prison, and going towards that
gentleman's room I met Mr. Salvi, when some of
the inmates of the ward called out "Secure him, Ile
has stabbed Mr. Robertson." 'accordingly stopped
him and told him he must go with me, when he
exclaimed, "I'll go, I'll go." I then look him and
left him in the visiting room, and then I went to
Mr. Robertson's room, where I found him lying on
the bed with blood fl)wing from a large wound in
the right temple and another in the right cheek.
As soon as I entered he said to me, " For God's
sake, Mr. Collwell, take down what I have to say
in writing, as I believe I am dying." I got
writinginaterial4, when Mr. Robertson t me that
Salvi stabbed him and Gower instigated him to do
so. Neither of the prisoners were present at that
time. A medical gentleman then came, and I went
after Mr. Gower and told him he must go before a
magistrate with Salvi, as he was charged within_stigating him in the attack on Mr. Robertson. He
seemed very much flurried, and said, "11l go."
After they were both secured I went with the doctor
to Mr. Robertson's room and saw him attended to.
Mr. Thomson, a so!icitor, was there, and he saw all
that occurred. When Salvi was brought forward
again, and told what he had done, he said, " It's
all true, I did it." Among the persons in the room
there was one named Wyld, and he brought in a
knife which he said he had picked up at the door,
and handed it to Dennis, one of the prison officers.
Mr. Combo—ls that knife in court ?
Dennis—l am one of the officers of the Queen's
Prison. I received this knife from Mr. Wyld,
The knife was here handed to the magistrate. It
was a large Spanish knife, quite new, with a handle
about six inches long, and had a spring at the back.
Two inches of the blade had been broken off, and
it was all covered with blood.

Mr. Combe—Where is the other portion of this
knife ?

Dennis—l don't know, sir, at present.
Mr. Combe to Mr. Collwell—What did Gower
say when you gave him into custody ?
Mr. Collwell—He said, " Oh, that's shocking to
come here with him, and be charged with such an
offence." He was very much excited.
Mr. Richard Thompson examined—l am a solici-
tor, at No, 3, Finsbury-chambers. I was present
when the unfortunate affair happened. • I know all
the parties. About one o'clock th's afternoon Mr.
Salvi came to my chambers, and asked me to ac-
company him and Mr. Gower to the Queen's Prison.
I am attorney for Salvi against Robertson, who is
detained there at his suit. We called on Mr. Gower
and we all went to the Queen's Prison, and saw
Mr. Robertson in his room. They went to have the
matter settled. Robertson asked me to take a seat,
and Salvi and Gower stood near his chair. I asked
Robertson to make some propositican to Salvi, when
some angry words took place between them about a
bill for 2001. Mr. Robertson said to Salvi, " I have
not the bill," when allusion was made to a Mr.
Brown and a Scotch sequestration. Salvi rated Ro-
bertson about his dishonesty, and
You say you did not have the 2001.
to him,
2001. bill 1"
Robertson made some reply about Brown, andthen
Gower made an observation to Salvi. The latter
then leaned over Robertson's chair, and I saw him
beat him rapidly in the face; I called out "Don't
beat him ;" and I thought he was only srrikinghim
with his hands.

Mr. Combe—How near was he to Mr. Robertson ?
Witness—Close to his chair, leaning over him.

Mr. Combs—Did you s'!e anything in Salvi'i
band ?
Witness—No, sir.

Mr. Combe—Did you hear Salvi say anything
when he was beating him?

Witness-- es, sit. He said, " You say that !
you say that !" very much excited, and he was
striking him rapidly. I then saw blood flowing
from Mr... Robertson's cheek. While Salvi was
striking, Mr. Robertson he slippel off the chair on
to the floor, and called out "I am murdered !" I
thn saw the blood rushing down his face.

Mr. Combe—Did you tlien observe any knife ?
Witness—No, sir.
Mr. Combe—Does any one in court know whether
Salvi ever had this knife in his possess!on ?
Mr. Collwell—There is not, sir ; but Salvi
acknowledged that he did it.
Mr. Combe—ls there any further evidence
against Gower ?
Mr. Coll well—When I went into Mr. Robertson's
room besaid to me "Take Mr. Gower into custody,
as be instigated Salvi to murder me." I went after
him, and told him he must go with me and SAlvi
before a magistrate and have the matter stttled.
He said, " Oh, my God, I am innocent."
Mr. Combe—l think there is quits sufficient evi-
dence for me to detain both the prisoners for fur-
ther examination. T shall therefore remand them
until to-morrow.

Mr. Gower, who seemed much excited and over-
come, hoped his worship would accept bail. He was
respectable tradesman, and could obtain bail to any
amount. He begged of his worship not to send
him to prison, on account of his family.
Mr. Combe—lt is a very serious charcfe. The
prosecutor may die irom the wounds inflicted on
him ; therefore I cannot accept bail for eitLer of
you.
Both prisoners were then conveyed to Horsemon-
ger-lane Gaol in the prison van.

GREENWICH.—Thomas Perry, driver, Ed-
ward Whiffen, fireman, and John Griffithq, signal-
man at the Blackhea.h station, were brought up for
re-examination charged with ue2lect of duty and
causing the deaths of 11 persons at the late acci-
dent on-tha North Kent Railway:
The evidence against Griffiths was first taken,
and the other prisoners were removed from the
dock.

The station-masters at Blackheath and Lewisham
having been examined,
Mr. Train said he ehould commit the prisoner
for trial, but as the coroner's iuquest was not
closed ho should remand him until Thursday week.

Perry and Whiffen were then placed in the dock,
and, after the hearing of further evidence, com-
mitted for trial on the charge of manslaughter, the
magistrate stating that they also would be again
knouglit up for formal evidence as I) the deaths
which hart occurred. Mr. Trail also stated that
any observations he had to make upon particular
points in the case would be embodied in a letter to
the directors of the railway, and that a transcript
would be forwarded to the Board of Trade.

BOMBA AND Tdl2 BANDITTI.

(From the Morning Post)

The desperate measure adopted by the Neapoli-
tan King,and his sanguinary Commissary of Police,
Campagna, of putting arms into the hands of the
Lazzaroni, is one of the most indefensible that could
be resorted to, and it plainly indicates the straits
to which the Monarch of the Two Sicilies is re-
duced. Distrusting the native army, and not feel-
ing that even fifteen thousand or twenty thousand
mercenary Swiss are sufficient to protect him from
his own people, Ferdinand has caused arms to be
distributed to the fifty thousand or sixty thousand
Lazzaroni who live in the heart of Naple. and who
daily line the Piazza, the Cfraga, the Mole, and
the Strada di Toledo. These grinning, shouting,
lazy, roaring vagabonds, who act as fishermen,
porters, messengers, bravi, brigands, and some-
times even in worsa callings, and who are ready to
c 1..) any work. however vile or infamous, for which
they are paid, have ever been the ready insiru
ments of the mest superstitious of priests, and of
the most despotic and tyrannical of kings ; and
there is not a man or woman in Naples obnoxious
to the Government who is not at the mercy of this
race, who are as wild and reckless as savages, and
who are, in addition, steeped in the worst vices of
a putril civilisation. What the Lazzaroni were in
1799, at the time of the sanguinary Cardinal Ruffo,
they are still. Their cruelties and atrooi les, when
they had arms in their hands 58 years ago, were so
great that the French General Championnet was
obliged to disarm them at all hazards, for the life of
no man, woman, or child was safe so long as they
had weapons at command. Semi-savages, who let
themselves out for hire, either to take or swear away
a life, either to perjure or to.murder to order, can
have no moral sense. They only acknowledge the
party paying .and the priest ab-olving, and in this
way sinning, and being shrive I for the sin, they
pass away their hideous Jives. These savage men are
now the fifty thousand chosen body-guard of King
Ferdinand, to whom he has confided bayonets and
muskets, and we may be pretty sure that their
deeds during this month of July will give abundant
occupation to the three thousand four hundred and
one secular clergy and the one thousand seven
hundred and sixty-four monks which Naples is said
to contain within its walls.

A number of our countrymen and women, as well
as Americans, Frenchmen, Russians, and Germans,
are now at Naples. These strangers, it appears, ac-
cording to our Correspondent, are ordered to write
their names on the doors of their apartments, as a
measure of necessary precaution, though we cto not
ourselves very well see how the mere writing of
names, which the Laizaroni cannot read, can. secure
strangers from the violence of this lawless, ignorant,
and supers. i t ions banditti. From o‘ir Correspondent
on the spot, we know the City of Naples wes tran-
quil on the 4'h, so that it would appear any
attempt at disturbance at Naple., if such there
were, was put down. But we ,have accounts frOm
Leoce, Reggio, Corella, Calabria, and Sicily, which
show that the state of things in these localities was
very serious indeed. It is openly stated that the
Neapolitan army cannot be depended on, and that
even the much-boasted Swiss regiments, which the
King has taken such costly pains to procure, have
shown an unwillingness to be separated from each
other. The Neapollau army, never at any time
highly efficient or disciplined, has been of late dis-
gusted by unheard-of severities, and a harassing
system of delation and espionage. Even in one of
the cavalry, regiments, usually filled by a beitur
class of officers and m.n, deserions have taken
place ; and officers who were counted on as most
stanch have been found wavering in their fidelity.
If this be so thirty or forty miles from Naples, in
the Principate-Ultra, what must be the condition
of affairs in Sicily, separated from the Italian Pen-
insula, and inhabited by races much more hostile
to the King's Government Though this Gover-
nment has exhibited on the present eccasion mere
energy and vigour than we looked for, yet if the
native army be unfaithful, and the Swiss wavering
and uncertain, there is no saying to what extent
the insurrection may spread. Should the insur-
gents in any locali y gain the upper hand, the
flame of rehell on is likely to spread to the con-
tinental kingdom and to the States of the Church.
The people of the Legations, and of the Comaccio,
and indeed of Borne itself, are deeply discontented;
and, if it were not for the presence of foreign troops,
would long ago have revolted. The subjects of
the Pope are now very well aware that the Liberal
movement initiated by Pius IX., eleven years ago,
WAS a proceeding in which the heart or con-
viction of the Pontiff had no concern. It was
politic in 1846 and 1847 to follow the harsh,
ab irninable, and rigorous measures of Gregory
XVI. by an amnesty and a change of councillors,
and by this Pius IX. gained a woude ful popularity.
But when it was known that in 1848 the Pontiff
held one language on public affairs in st...cret, and
another and a diametric Illy opposite language in
public, the most intelligent subjects of the Papacy
became aware that the Liberalism of Pius IX.
neither arose from conviction nor from far-sighted
statesmanship. Of statesmanship, indeed, the
Pontiff is wholly incapable; and though, frotialie
facility of his character and his desire for popularity,
be promised much to his subjects in his days of
trouble, yet none of these promises have been rea-
lised. In truth, notwithstanding his affable man-
ners, graci▪
ous deportment, and conciliating cha-
racter, Pius• IX., in all the pretensions of the
Pontificate, entertains the notions of the most ab-
solute Churchmen, vnd wi.:l not consent to surren-
der any portion of his sovereign or ecclesiastical
power. In all that relates to the religious part of
the question, he is as narrow a bigot as the most
ultra of the cardinals, and in the secular affairs of
Government he is the mere instrument and dupe of
thejobber of the Sacred College, Cardisl A ntonelli,
as Leo XII. and Pius VIII., in 1828, 1829, and
1 839, were said to be the instruments anddupes of
'its dancer, the late Cardinal Albani. Notwithstand-
ing, then, the journeys and dramatico-religious ex-
hibitiona of the Pontiff in the provincial govern-
ments, he will leave behind him large deposits of
insurrection
gains in his provinces, and if the
gains any head in Sicily, or in the continental
dominions of Ferdinand, it is certain to extend to
the States of the Church. In truth, there is only
one portion of the Italian Peninsula likely to escape
the conflagration, and that portion is the kingdom
of Sardinia. It is not the pardon of 20 prisoners
that can render the. Pope popular, but a general
amnesty, the seculaination of the Government, a
responsible Ministry, the introduction of the Code
Napoleon, and the abolthon'of ecclesiastical judges,

• h•owsa,
and tribunals, and perfect publicity in the affairs of
Government.

Tne Tuscan troop., on the occasion of the late abor-
tive attempt at insurrection, appear to have zealously
performed their duty. But.we are n,,t to conclude, from
the energy with which a mad Romiblican or Communist
insurrection was put down, that the people of Tuscany
are not discontented. They are deeply discontnteed, and if
the intelligent farmers and proprietors of Prato and of
Pi,toja, of Lucca and the banks of the Serchio, find
that the journey of the Pope has for its main object to
obtain from the Grand Duke a concordat such has been
agreed to at Naples and Vienna, by which the old liber-
ties and Leopoldine laws are to be abrogated for the
benefit of the encroachine Church, their deep discontent
may as,,ume a sturdier form.

The wisdom and the foresight of the note addressed to
the congre,s of Paris en the 27 h March, 1856, by the
Plenipot.‘ntaries, Cavour and Villatioarini, no g plainly
appear. They stated in that note that the Italian Penin-
sula was a volcano, and suggested measures recom-
mended a quarter of a century ago by the First Minister
of the British Crown. But -the King of Naples, the
Pope, and the Grand Duke of Tuscany have not listened
to or followed the advice of the wisest s.f our statesmen,
though repeatedly and urgently pressed on them.
Whilst, therefore, we reprobate in the strongest manner
the projects of hot-headed and unthinking men who fly
recklessly to arms, deluging Italy with blood, and draw-
ing down calamities on their countrymen, on the other
band, we can have no eyinpatnies with, or pity for,
those worst revolutionists of another kind, who, high
placed on authority, resist and reject all improvement,
who cling to antiquated prejudices and to obsolete
errors, and wbo, "damming up the current of human
improvement," resist just reforms till the irresistible
pressure of accumulated discontent breaks down a'l bar-
riers and levels institutions which renovating means
might have rendered strong and lasting.