The Sun.
London, England, 1844-03-11 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCI.

THE CASE of SUPPOSED TRANCE
AT DEPTFORD.
In the last notice of this extraordinary case it was stated,
on the authority of several surgeons of experience, that de-
composition of the body was going on, although not appa-
rent to a non-professional person. On Friday, however,
there were such unequivocal signs of decomposition having
taken place,lhat the parents of the deceased , determined on
having a post mortem examination, and Messrs. Downing, sur-
geons to the R division of police, and Mr. Caleb Taylor, . sur-
geonj of High-street, Deptford, were requested to'perform the
operation, which they did in a most minute and careful man-
ner, and in which they were. occupied several hours. The
folloWing is an authorised copy of their report :
"FRIDAY, MARCH 8.
" POST MORTEN EXAMINATION. ON,THE BODY OF HENRY
FRANCIS. ..
" The body was well. praportioned, robust, and above the
middle stature. The calvarium being removed, the dura
mater and arachnoid were found translucent and healthy,
and no unusual quantity of serum in its cavity, but the
vessels of the pia mater were remarkably congested with
venous blood, the larger ones being quite prominent from
distension and their minutest ramifications filled. The brain
was also found very Much congested, and sections of it being
made, bloody points in very unusual numbers were shown,
from extreme congestion of its•small vessels. The ventricles
contained no unusual quantity of serum, but the plexus
choroides was much congested. No clot or extravasation
was found.
" On opening the chest the pericardium was found to con-
tain about four ounces of redish serum, the left ventricle of
the heart dilated and hypertrophied ; the right ventricle, semi-
lunar, mitral, and tricuspid valves and aorta quite healthy, ,
but the right ventricle, venn cave; ascendens and descendens,
brachio-cephalics, coronary, and other veins were much
tended with blood; the left pleural cavity containing about
8 oz. redish serum (this, as well as the contents of the peri-
cardium, being probably the result of cadaveric exosmosis),
the membranes themselves being healthy. The right pleural
cavity was completely obliterated by old adhesions, the lung
being adherent throughout from apex to base, so that it was
impossible to remove it without laceration ; both lungs were
much,congested, but otherwise healthy. The stomach con-
tained some undigested food, amongst which were found many
large masses of cheese, considerably larger than filberts, their
nature being evident when cut into. The stomach was
healthy, except being, in common with all the organs of the
body, much congested; which was also the case with the kid-
neys, .being_ large, of a deep chocolate colour. The liver,
spleen, intestines, and peritoneum healthy.
" From this examination, it is evident that disease of the
heart was not the immediate cause of death, it having been
produced by congestive apoplexy.

" C. TAYLOR.
The, foregoing document will no doubt beDOWNING read with great
interest by the,professiori as well as the public. One remark-
able fact is, that amongst the number of professional gentle-
+ men who viewed the body during the 35 days after death,
only one gentleman 'expressed an opinion as to the cause of
death,,which has been borne out by the post mortem exami-
nation, and that was the gentleman who Was mistaken for
Mr. Callaway by the family (on whose authority it was
stated
.Mr. Callaway and 'Mr. Bransby Cooper had seen the.
body)., The'gentleman referred to pronounced that the • de-
ceased had died front paralysis of the brain, and pointed out
the prpper_ course which should have been pursued. Mr.
Taylor, certainly bled the deceased half an hour after the first
surgeon ,bad pronounced him dead, and the blood flowed
copiously from the
.arm., Messrs. Downing and Taylor have
not at present-given any opinion as to the Cause- of the extra-
ordinary retention of :natural, appearances for -so great a
length' of time: Even on opening the" body- the effluvium
was very slight.
This case clearly shows the necessity of a more patient in-
quiry by Coroners' juries, as in this case the Coroner thought
it unnecessary to call the medical man, himself pronouncing
that deceased died from'an enlargement of the heart, on which
the jury returned a verdict:

FIRE ON BOARD A.SHIP.
MELANCII.OLY LOSS OF LIFE.
DEVONPORT,,MARCH 9.7—This morning about one o'clock
an alarm of fire was heard at Mutton Cove,. and shortly after
flames were observed issuing from the companion and cabin
window of the brig Theresa, of about 150 tons, . Captain
Nichols, belonging to Devonport, and recently arrived from
Newport with a cargo of coals, which she was discharging at
the wharf near her Majesty's arsenal. The two town engines
were speedily on the spot, but owing to a defect in the hose,
some time elapsed before they were brought into play. Lieut.
Williams, the superintendent of the dockyard police, with one
engine, and Colonel Clarke with part of the 76th Regiment
and another engine, were soon there. Captain Milne, son of
the Port Admiral; Sir David Milne, and Lieut. Elliott, with a
company of Artillery, were also present. About ten minutes
after the engines arrived a boy Was observed to make two inef-
fectual attempts to leap from the cabin and catch hold of the
skylight combings: the third time a Man on the quarter-deck
pulled him out, but, harrowing to relate, the flesh on the poor
boy's arm peeled off in the act ; the shirt was burnt off his back,
and the hair of his head destroyed.' He was immediately con-
veyed to the workhonse* The cargo very soon ignited, and,
although lots tide, the vessel was most injudiciously scuttled,
when of course the water ran. out as soon as it was poured in.
The fire was, however, eventually subdued, but the brig is
so much injured, as tobe past repair. The charred remains
of John Davis, of Devonport, aged 18, wero found in the
steerage berth. He, with. John Phillips. aged 13, the lad
who was rescued through the cabin-window, were the only,
persons on board. The unfortunate youth was relieved from
his sufferings in the course of the forenoon. Before dying,
he stated that he went. on boar& about 9 o'clock on the Fri-
day evening,. carefully put out his light and retired to bed,
in the state-room, having received permission to do so from
the master.. The lad, who is the son of a gentleman now re-
sident at Newport, but fortherls a collector of customs at a
Cornish port, was determined to go to sea, in opposition to
the wishes of his relatives, and was considered on board-the
brig more as a passenger than a sailor. The fire originated
in the steerage, where. Phillips slept in the mate's berth. It
is supposed that he came on board very late, and that through
his negligence the accident occurred; he must have been
smothered in his -bed--place. .The clothes belonging to the
crew are destroyed,
,rus they slept aft anti. messed with the
captain, to whom pO blame can be attributed in this melan-
choly accident.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-(THIS DAY.)
The House sat to-day to hoar appeals. The Peers present
were the Lord Chancellor, Lord Brougham, Lord Campbell,
and Lord Beaumont.

DRUMMOND V. WALDRON.
The further arguments in this part-heard case occupied
their Lordships the whole morning.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE

`GUILDHALL.-(THIS DAY.
THE LADY TIIIEVES.—Ann Elizabeth Earnshaw and
Enana Wells were placed at the bar this day, before Mr.
Alderman Challis, for the purpose of being finally examined
on various charges of shoplifting.
11fr. Alderman Challis remarked, that the best course to.
adopt would be to take the depositions in all the cases which
were perfect, and bind the witnesses over to prosecute, which
being done,

•
Mr: Clarkson said that as the prisoners had now been
one month in custody, and during that time the officers had
done all in their power to ascertain whether the money in
the two saving-banks, standing in the names of the prisoners
was the produce yany robbery, and they not being able to
trace it to such a source, he now applied to have the books
given up to enable the prisoners to obtain such assistance
as was necessary Ito their defence. Upon the principle of
humanity it ought not to be withheld.
Mr. Alderman' CtrALus said, that a vast quantity of
valuable property had been found, and although not traced
yet before they could be tried, some claimant might come
forward and own it ; besides further evidence might be "ob-
tained, which would show the money might be the result of
other robberies,
Mr. CLAnKsort—lf not, you will let them have it?
Mr. Alderman Cunws-+Certainly. If either of the pri-
soners asked to say any thing, he wolikl hear them, other-
wise he should fully commit them for . trial on the several
charges r but they would be brought up on Monday the 10th
of April, and should nothing transpire they would then be
sent to Newgate.
The prisoners were then fully committed. •

CLERKENWELL-(THIS' DAY.)
Two men named Madigan and IValshe, were charged.with
assaults of a violent character on olice constable 124 E.
It appeared from the evidence that on. the previous night,
about twelve o'clock, the officer being on duty in Coram-
street, saw the prisoners shoving one another against the
shop windows, and thereby disturbing the , inmates. The
officer requested of them desist, but they became more
disorderly; he took them into custody. Walshe immediately
struck him, and Madigan kicked him in so savage a manner,
that he Minn the flags. In attempting to get up, Madigan
seized-the constable's forefinger in his mouth, and tore away
the flesh from it. He knocked the officer down a second
time, and when he was lying on the flags kicked him. At
length the prisoners were secured.
The complainant added that he was still suffering great
pain from the wound on his finger.
Mr. Inspector Hawley stated that several of the respectable
inhabitants of the neighbourhood had complained of the pri-
soners and their associates.
Mi. QuEENwoon said he always made a distinction between
that inhumann practice of biting, and other kinds of assault,
and also where a prostrate man was kicked. He should send
Madigan to the House of Correction for 21 days, and Walshe
for seven days.

MARYLEBONE.-(THIS DAY.)
Henry Jones, a boy, was placed at the bar charged with
having robbeflhis master, Mr. Barnard Swinstead, straw hat
manufacturer, 32, Oxford-street, of ten sovereigns and a
straw bonnet.
The prosecutor stated that Jones had been employed by
him as errand boy, and on the 21st of February last he ab-
scondea, taking with him the money alluded to. The witness
had upon the Monday evening placed a sum of 30/. in notes
and 10 sovereigns in gold in a cupboard at the back of his
shop, which cash was safe. on the Tuesday evening. The pri-
soner came early upon the Wednesday, and soon after left,
leaving the shop door open, When witness came down stairs
he found that the lock of the cupboard had been forced open
and the gold abstracted. The bonnet had been left,by a lady,
and the prisoner had been sent home with it, but it had never
been received.

Mr. RA.wwsrsox—How is it that he had not been taken
into custody before? Mr. Swinstead—He was taken into
custody at Sheerness a few days after, on suspicion of having
stolen the money which he was spending very freely, and I
wrote to the constable there, stating that an officer would be
down on the 'succeeding morning ; but that person, after
taking the balance, 31., from him, let him go.
Mr. RAWLINSON said it was a most reprehensible thing, and
before committing the prisoner he should like to see the offi-
cer from Sheerness. He should therefore remand the case for
a week.

UNION HALL.-(THIS DAY.)
Ann
,Kelly was brought before Mr. Trail, charged with
stealing eight sovereigns from Mr. John Marsh, under the
folloWing circumstances :
The complainant, who resides in Trinity-square, was met
by the prisoner on the preceding night, and accompanied her
to a house in Newington. He had not been long in this
place when the prisoner contrived to obtain possession
of his purse containing eleven sovereigns. He missed
the purse and eight sovereigns, and. when he ac-
cused her of robbing him, she conveyed something
into her mouth, and for some time was unable to arti-
culate, and become very ill. From the symptoms then appa-
rent it was believed she had managed to swallow the eight
sovereigns, but she denied that such was the fact, and de-
clared that she knew nothing about the money. The com-
plainant, however, having no doubt on his mind as to his
being robbed by the prisoner, she was committed for trial.