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

RAILWAY RETURNS.

We, extract from the Ruibectit Magazine the sums re-
, eived on the prineiyal Railways of Great Britain
',,r the week eliding on the day of the month prefixed
each. The return includes the money received for '
ssengers, parcels, carriages, horses, mails, and iner-
: auul i ze
Week Total.
Name of Railway.ended
s. d.
Lice. '23 Birmingham and Derby Junction 1,516 13 5
22 Birmingham and Gloucester
23 Flrandling Junction .. 716 14 5
22 Chester and Birkenhead 330 4 6
24 Dundee and Arbroath
23 Edinburgh and Glasgow... 1,822 6 11
24 Eastern Counties
23 Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ayr 1,092 5 2
23 Glasgow, Paisley, and Greenoek...... 643 7 0
23 Grand Junction, and Chester & Crewe 8,166 6 8
23 Great North of England
24 Great Western ...... 15,692 12 9
1-lull and Selby 970 12 11
22 Liverpool and Manchester 3,817 4 0
23 London and Birmingham ... 18,266 '2 3
28 London and Blackwall 667 13 9
23 London and Brighton
26 London and Croydon 249 0 7/1
28 London and Greenwich 764 12 0
24 London and South Western ...... 6,216 2 3
21 Manchester, Bolton, and Bury 698 6 4i
23 Manchester and Birmingham
23 Manchester and Leeds. 4,8.34 8 10
23 Midland Countie5....
23 Newcastle and Carlisle ...... 1,404 5 10
21 Newcastle and North Shields ...... 285 17 5
24 Northern and Eastern
26 North Midland ... 4,976 6 4
North Uni0n............. ......
19 Paris and Orleans 3,675 4 8
25 Paris and Rouen ... 3,068 0 0
23 Preston and Wyre 2lB 1 6
23 Sheffield and Manchester 474 6 4
28 South Eastern
23 Taff Va1e..... 597 9 11
24 Ulster 621 11 7
23 York and North Midland 2,134 5 5

THE POST-OFFICE AND THE MONEY ORDER-OFFICE.
—A dispute has arisen between the Post-office and a firm
.1 Russell-street, Bermondsey, which is likely to be
ottled only in one of the Courts of Law. The circum-
siances are these :—A person at Sheffield wrote to the
:-!.)116e in question for a quantity of morocco skins,
rich amounted altogether to 51. As he was a
ranger to the firm he annexed to his letter an
rtler on the Post-office for the amount of 5/. It
equired nearly •a month to prepare the skins ordered,
hen they were sent to the party at Sheffield. The
order was then, and not till then, presented at the Post-
office, when the clerk, into whose hands it was placed,
tore it up, saying that the money had been drawn back
by the party who sent it. Upon application being
made to the Sheffield house, they stated, that in
consequence of the delay, they had transferred the
order to another house, and withdrawn the money,
but they were willing to return the goods or pay
for :them at three months. This was refused, as
some loss would be incurred, and it is- contended
that the Post-office had no right to part With the money,
acid farther,itlff by destroying the order they have de-
tlie _.
of the skins of the chief, if not the
.offticir debt. The Post-office refused to
~.ic.ll4Pl4he-turieuiatAs d the firm at Bermondsey are deter-
.'"\--1:1-7,',',,1-t-1-.,'L4111fi7: the .question on the broad ground of prin,
itta%'-order can be presented and must be
t.rai6ind that the Yost-office had no more
;10‘re.tttitilioney than it had 'a
letter when once- in
wit qrstgi--

WINTER ASSIZES.
NORTHERN CIRCUIT, Liverpool, Dec. 29.
Nicholas Clark, late of Manchester, labourer, was ar-
raigned upon an indictment charging him with the
wilful murder of Catherine Rippingham, otherwise Ca-
therine Clark, by striking and beating her with his hands,
and kicking her with his feet. The prisoner ple, ded not
guilty.
Mr. Joseph Pollock conducted the prosecution.
In answer to a question from his Lordship, the prisoner
said he was a poor man, and could not afford to employ
counsel, whereupon his Lordship said that Mr. James
had kindly offered to undertake his defence.
Mr. PoLLocx, in stating the case, said the principal
question for the jury would be, whether there was such
' reasonable and immediate provocation as would reduce
the amount of the offence. After stating the circum
stances of the case, and mentioning the fact, that for
three years the deceased had lived with the prisoner,
and was by some supposed to be his wife, the Learned
Counsel called witnesses. .
The particulars of this case have been so recently
given in our columns, in reference to the coroner's
inquest, that it may suffice now to state that
on the 12th ult. the prisoner and the de-
ceased being in the house of a Mrs. Colvin,
he called her out, and immediately afterwards she
ran back into the house followed by the prisoner,
who struck her on the head with his hand, and kicked
her on the neck and breast and left side. On receiving
the kicks on her side, the deceased exclaimed she was
killed. She was put to bed up stairs, and died that day
week. 'The surgeon who was called in three days after
the injury had been inflicted, was deceived by being told
that the deceased had a cold, and was only informed that
she had been hurt the night before she died. On the
post mortem examination, the surgeon found injuries to
the spleen and liver ; either of which would cause death,
and must have been produced by a violent blow, or kick,
or external pressure.
Mr. JAMES, for the prisoner, contended there was no
evidence of malice, to constitute the offence murder.
His Lordship recapitulated the evidence, and the jury,
after retiring for ten minutes, found the prisoner guilty
of manslaughter. The prisoner was then sentenced lo be
transported for life.
The following priaoners were called up to receive their
sentences :—Roger Horrocks, James Howarth, and Mary
Ann Hulse, convicted of blurglary, were severally sen-
tenced to be transported for ten years.
Charles Booth, Charles Jones, Thomas Hale, James
Bailey, and Henry Mann, who had all pleaded guilty to
the charge of burglary, were sentenced to twelve months'
imprisonment, and hard labour.
John Walker, convicted for highway robbery, to be
imprisoned for twelve months to hard labour.
William Slack, convicted of burglary, to be imprisoned
for twelve months to hard labour.
James Francis Bentley and George Allinson, who had
both pleaded guilty 'to forgery, were sentenced to be
transported for ten years.
James Moss Smith, who had pleaded guilty to two in-
dictments, one charging him with embezzlement, and
the other with obtaining money by false pretences, was
sentenced, for the first offence, to be imprisoned for ten
calendar months, and kept to hard labour ; and for the
false pretence, to be imprisoned for three months.
James Newbold, convicted upon his own confession, of
stealing in a dwelling-house, was sentenced to be im-
prisoned for eight calendar months, and kept to hard
labour.
Owen Rooney, convicted of feloniously stabbing
George Seymout, with intent to do him some grievous
bodily harm, was sentenced to be transported for fifteen
years.
John Sullivan, who had pleaded guilty to having
fraudulently incited and procured another person to be
guilty of the crime of forgery, was sentenced to be im-
prisoned for two sears, and kept to hard labour.

York, Dec. 28.
(Before Mr. Justice MAULE.)
This morning having been specially appointed for the
trial of Thomas Walker, who was charged with forging
certain interlecutory orders of the Commissioners of
Bankruptcy, there was •a full attendance in Court, the
case having excited considerable interest on account of
the nature of the offence and the respectability of the
party accused, who is an attorney in the West Riding of
York. The Commissioners of Bankruptcy for the dis-
trict, and also some accountants from London, were in
attendance.
On the arrival of Mr. Justice Maule in Court, Mr.
Wilkins rose and said, he appeared on behalf of Mr.
Walker. That there were three indictments against
him, and of only one of which the defendant had had a
copy, and that copy was delivered to him by the officers
only last night. Ile did not complain of the late deli-
very of the copy, for it consisted of 52 counts and was
many yards in length, but he grounded on it the fact that
he and his Learned Friend Mr. I'ashky had found it
quite impossible to scrutinise such a document in such a
way as was necessary for the defence of the defendant.
He had seen enough, however, to assure the Court that
much law must necessarily arise for discussion at almost
every step, and he trusted it would not be thought un-
reasonable that the defendant desired a further delay,
and he put it to the counsel for the prosecution, whether
they did not think it reasonable that the case should
stand over till next assizes.
Mr. HALL and Mr. OVERAND, for the prosecution,
could not consent to such an arrangement. The day
had been appointed for the trial with the concurrence of
the defendant's counsel, and as to there being three in-
dictments, the other two were the same as the one a
copy of which had been furnished. There was a fourth,
but that was a short one, taking the offence in a different
light.
Mr. WILKINs then called his Lordship's attention to
the recognisances of the defendant, who was out on bail.
The recognisances were conditioned that he should ap-
pear and take 'his trial at the next assizes and general
gaol delivery for the county of York. He submitted on
this that the defendant was not bound to appear now, as
he apprehended that this, though a gaol delivery, was
not an assize, and that the recognisances would not there-
fore be due till the usual Spring assize and general gaol
delivery.
Mr Justice MAttLE said, he certainly had an opinion
that this was not an assize, but a gaol delivery only.
Mr. WlLKnes said the defendant's counsel had advised
him not to appear.
Mr. HALL moved that the recognisances should be
estreated, but it being suggested that that motion should
be made in the Court of Exchequer, when the Court
could determine whether the recognisances were due or
not, the motion was not persisted in.
Mr. HALL then said he should apply for a bench war-
rant to apprehend the defendant.
Mr. WILKINs said that the defendant had no objec-
tion to enter into fresh recognisances-if it was thought
necessary.
This, after some conversation amongst the counsel,
was agreed to, and the case was accordingly postponed.
James Allison was indicted for feloniously setting fire
to his dwelling-house, with intent to defraud the Globe
Fire Insurance Company. In a second count he was
charged with setting fire to the dwelling-house of certain
mortgagees of the same (naming them), with intent to
defraud the mortgagees.
Mr. Bain, assisted by Mr. Raines and Mr. Liddell,
conducted the prosecution. and Mr. Bliss the defence.
It appeared that the prisoner was the owner of five
houses in Hull, situated on what is called Sutton-bank,
being the bank of a canal or drain leading to a place
called Sutton. The houses were mortgaged to two per-
sons, by whom they were insured, arid the prisoner had
himself lately effected an additional insurance upon them,
the whole amount insured being considerably above their
value. Ile had been living in one of the houses, but had
left it with/nit intending to return to it. On the evening
of the :31st of August last Mrs. Heseldine, passing the
house, saw a light through the keyhole. She returned
in a few minutes, and saw the light so much increased
that she was induced to peep, and she became convinced
that the house was on fire ; she ran for her husband and
gave an alarm at the station- house. People came. An
entrance was effected, and buckets of water obtained.
The water was thrown on the fire by Mr. Heseldine, the
husband of the first witness. He stated that a tar barrel
was placed close to the foot of the bannisters of the stairs
and was blazing furiously. The stairs and a window on
the staircase were on tire. The fire was extinguished.
The prisoner was proved to have procured shortly before
a barrel of red Norway tar. Several persons gave evi-
dence to the above effect, and evidence of the insurance,
the interest of the mortgagees, and the like, was put in.
Mr_ 131-tss, on behalf of the prisoner, objected that
the indictment was not sufficient, first, because there was
no proof of any corporation called " the Globe Fire In-
surance Company ; ' and as to the second count, that
there was no proof of the house being the dwelling
house of the parties whose dwelling-house it was alleged
to be. It might be their property, but not their dwell-
ing-house.
Considerable argument, took place upon both points,
And the Learned JUDGE, after referring to several
cases, held both the objections good, and directed the
jury to find the prisoner not guilty ; which was done,
and he was discharged.

WESTERN CIRCUIT, Winchester, Dec. 28.
AxsoN.—Josiah Fehham was indicted for having, on
the 21st of December, at the parish of Nursling, mali-
ciously set tire to a stable and other outbuildings, the
property of John Bennett.
Mr. Sewell and Mr. Rawlinson conducted the case
for the prosecution, and Mr. C. Saunders defended the
prisoner.
Edward Pilbeam, superintendent of police, proved that
the plan produced of the premises was correct.
John Bennett—l am a brewer, living at a cottage be-
tween Ramsey and Southampton. I have a beershop on
the premises, and near to that I had a stable and out-
house. The prisoner was in my service. On last Satur-
day fortnight (the 9th of December) I sent him to
Southampton with a cart, which afterwards w as broken,
in consequence of which I gave him notice to leave, but
we afterwards arranged that he should stay for a fort-
night ; but on the next Saturday he quitted my service.
On Thursday, the 21st of December, I was in my beer-
shop ; about a quarter to eight o'clock at night I saw
the prisoner sitting in the bar. I told him to leave. He
refused to do so, but I told him he should not stop. He
wished to know what he had done, and I told him I had
sent for Pope, the policeman, and I thought he knew
about the saddle. He said, " What saddle ?" I said,
"Never mind ;" and I told him he might wait till Mr.
Pope came. He left the bar, and I did not see him
again till nine o'clock, when I saw him in the tap. A
party then talked of playing at skittles. Finding the
prisoner there I would not allow them to play. All
the patty then left. Pope came about half-past nine.
We supped together, and about twenty minutes past
ten we heard a noise in the yard as if a person was
breaking into an outhouse, and we heard the cows
lowing. We went out into the yard, and on opening
the dour we perceived the stable and outbuildings in
flames. The buildings contained hay, straw, and corn,
a horse, a goat, and two cows. No servant had occasion
to go into those buildings after half-past seven ; when

my horse was brought home from Southampton, I first
let my neighbours know. I then perceived the prisoner
in the brewhouse, that was twenty minutes after I first
went out. He was pumping at the brewhouse-pump. I
looked about the premises on Christmas-day and ob-
served footmarks of a man coming from the corner of
the field towards the building. There were also foot-
marks of a man going from the premises in a direction
towards Hurst's house, where the prisoner lived. They
were the tracts of one man, as if he had been running.
I could not step the distance between one footmark and
another when walking, and, therefore, I consider he
must have been running. The footmarks appeared to
have been made three or four days. I was present wizen
these footmarks were compared with some shoes. Tha
marks both going and coming corresponded exactly with
the shoes.
Cross-examined—l had differed with the prisoner on
account of his telling me two stories about the accident
by which my cart was broken. When he went away he
told me he could be employed four days in clipping horses.
No one was present for the prisoner when the footmarks
were examined. The prisoner was taken into custody on
the night of the fire on my premises.
George Skeykes—l live with Mr. Bennett, and look
after his horses. I did not know the prisoner till the
night of the fire, when I saw him in my master's tap-
room. I saw him take a bottle from his pocket, which
contained naphtha and turpentine, used for singing horses.
The prisoner said it was naphtha and turpentine. He
put the bottle in his pocket. He (went away between
9 and 10 o'clock.
Cross-examined--I first saw the bottle in the skittle-
alley. I afterwards saw a bottle in the hands of a police-
man, but that was not the bottle I had seen in the hands
of the prisoner, nor did it contain the same sort of stuff.
James Pope—l am a policeman. I went to Mr. Ben-
nett's house that evening, between nine and ten o'clock ;
there was not any appearance at that time of any fire
upon his premises. After the fire I apprehended the
prisoner. While he was in my custody he said he won-
dered wit, the two persons who were to have come for-
ward to say where he was before the fire broke out had
not come. I told him I could not say. •He said, "If
they say anything to you, tell them I said nothing."
Cross-examined—l have not been before the Magis-

trates.
Richard Hurst—l am in the employ of Mr. Bennett.
The prisoner lodged in my house, which is about 200 or
300 yards from Mr. Bennett's. The prisoner came to
my house between ten and eleven o'clock on the night of
the fire. I was in bed, and came down to let him in. I
then went to bed again, and in two or three minutes
afterwards I saw a fire at Mr. Bennett's. It was from
the prisoner's room I saw the fire. He then went to the
fire with me. I had been in the habit of seeing two bot-
tles in the stable while the prissner lived at Mr. Ben-
nett's. I have been shown a bottle by the policeman, but
I had never seen such a bottle in the stable, or in the
prisoner's possession.
Cross-examined—The prisoner was undressing when
I went to his room. We both helped to put the fire out.
ire had only been at my house two days and nights.
When I saw the fire from his room I said, " What light
is this ?" He said, " I don't know."
Edward Pilbeam—l am superintendent of the South-
ampton division of the county police. I searched the
prisoner and found on him portions of three lucifer
matches which had been broken. I searched the pre-
mises, and among the ashes of the fire I found a small
glass bottle, which was red hot; it was where the straw-
house had been, and close to the adjoining field. This is
the bottle. I bound it up in blue riband. I took pos-
session of a bottle of naptha at Hurst's premises. From
some information I received I went on Monday to exa-
mine some footmarks. I measured the impressions, and
went to the prisoner's lodgings, and got an old pair of
his boots, which corresponded exactly with my measure-
ment of the tracks, but not with the toe or tip on the
heel. The next morning I came to Winchester, and
took the prisoner's boots off his feet. I had previously
put two men to watch the tracks. I then compared
these boots with the tracks; they completely corres-
ponded in every respect. There was a plate on the heel
and a tip on the toe. I compared several tracks. It
was a light sandy soil.
Cross-examined—l don't know much about singing
horses. I believe naptha and turpentine and lucifer
matches are used in singing. I believe tips and plates
are very common on shoes. There was nothing in the
bottle I found in the ashes.
Edward Coxwell—l am attorney for this prosecu-
tion. I was present when the footmarks were exa-
mined. They corresponded exactly with the prisoner's
boots.
Harriet Mandridge—l am in the service of Mr. Ben-
nett. After the prisoner had notice to leave, I heard him
say he would look out for Mr. Bennett, and inform
against him for keeping his house open after ten o'clock.
He said he was discharged without a cause and would do
him an injury. When he was in custody, the morning
after the fire, I said there was seldom a case of this sort
but was found out. Hurst, who was present, said there
were several cases that were not discovered. The pri-
soner said, it was according to how many were in the

mess.
Cross-examined—The prisoner remained in the ser-
vice a week after the first conversation.
Robert Chippenfield—l am a druggist at Shirley. The
prisoner came to my house yesterday week. He asked
for some turpentine to singe a horse. I said turpentine
was not the proper thing. He said he knew that, but it
would do. He then asked for some naphtha to mix with
it. I said they would not mix together. He said," Yes,
they would, but it would look greasy." I then served
him with some in a bottle (which was found at the pri-
soner's lodgings).
W. Forden, jun.—l went to the fire. I saw a bottle
in the ashes of straw. Id Pilbeam of it.
is
John Henry Bullerp . 'ye at Mersling. The pri-
soner had been singing an clipping a horse for my
father on the morning before the fire. I observed the
stuff he used. It was in a bottle, which was like this
one (the one found in the fire). He used some naphtha
which my father gave him, as he said his own was too
strong. lie took his own bottle away with him. There
was naphtha in it.
It was proved that it was 1,300 yards from Kemmish's
beershop to Mr. Bennett's premises.
Daniel Richards—On the evening of the fire I was at
Mr. Bennett's beershop. The prisoner and several other
persons were there. We all went away together to
Kemmish's beershop. We remained there till the house
closed at ten o'clock. I went leisurely home. As I was
going along I observed a smoke about twenty minutes
aft"r I had left the beershop.
This closed the case for the prosecution.
Mr. SAUNDF.ES then addressed the jury for the pri-
soner. He appeared with some anxiety, not on account
of the strength of the evidence, but from little circum-
stances which had been introduced, and which might have
taken possession of their minds. Arson was a crime of
such a description that it became necessary to guard
their minds, lest any prejudice should arise which the
material facts of the particular case did not warrant. He
therefore called upon them to look with the greatest
caution at every part of the evidence. They were sworn
to defend the prisoner as well as to do justice, and they
were to give him the benefit of any doubt, and if they
were not thoroughly convinced by the evidence that the
prisoner had committed this offence, they were bound to
acquit him.
The Learned JUDGE summed up the case with great
care and minuteness.
The jury returned a verdict of Acquittal.
George Rocket and William Hosburgh were indicted
for aThurglary in the house of Henry Humphries, at Al-
verstoke, and stealing therefrom a large quantity of
coffee and other articles, his property.
Mr. Missing conducted the prosecution.
It appeared that Humphries kept a shop. On the
night of the 23(1 of November he fastened up his house
and shop. About 4 o'clock the next morning, hearing a
noise, he went down stairs, and found the shutters of the
sle p had been taken down. He then missed a quarter
of a hundredweight of coffee and a quantity of other
articles. On the 25th of November a constable went to
the room of two women of the names of Gray and
Warder, in South- street, Gosport, and found a large
quantity of currants and other things, and in consequence
of what the women said the prisoners, who were soldiers
in the 44th Regiment, were taken into custody. On the
morning of the 24th of November, between 3 and 4
o'clock, the two prisoners knocked a$ the door of the
women's room, and asked for admission, and upon being
refused they broke in the door, and got into the room.
They had some coffee and currants and lard with them,
which they put on the bed and ran away. The currants
and coffee were in a pair of white trousers, having on
them the name of William flosburgh. The women got
a light, and were thus enabled to see the men. The pro-
secutor swore that the dish in which the lard was found
was the dish which had been taken from his shop.
The prisoners were both found Guilty, and sentenced
to be transported for ten years.
James Macdonald was indicted for stealing from the
person of William Freeman a purse of money, on the
21st of November, at Alverstoke.
Mr. Missing conducted the prosecution.
Both prosecutor and prisoner were in the 44th Regi-
ment. On the 21st of November in the evening, Free-
man went into Mr. Callis's eating-house at Gosport ; he
fell asleep, and on waking missed his purse, containing
2/. The' prisoner had gone into the eating-house with
him, but when he awoke the prisoner was gone.
The prisoner cross-examined the prosecutor at great
length and with considerable ability, showing that Free-
man had had 5/. sent him the day before by his friends,
and that he had scarcely been out of public-houses
afterwards, he and the prisoner going from house to
house drinking. He could not tell how much he had
spent at these different houses, but at all events the sum
of 21. 55., which he had in his purse when he went to
sleep, was all he had left out of the 51.
The servant at Mr. Callis's eating-house recollected
the prosecutor and prisoner coming in, and after the
former had gone to sleep she saw the prisoner take the
pnrse out of the prosecutor's pocket. lie then looked at
the money, and she saw there was gold and silver. A
sailor was present. He afterwards put the purse into
his own pocket, and went out of the house, saying he
should be back in twenty minutes, but he did not return.
The prisoner, who was a very fine young matt, ad-
dressed the jury, and urged upon them the improba-
bility of his stealing the purse in the presence of two
persons. He declared the whole case was based on
fraud and falsehood, and stated that, if he was guilty he
would acknowledge it and beg for mercy, but his con-
science told him he was innocent, and enabled, him to
ask for justice, for he was entitled to it. He declared, in
the hearing .of Almighty God, before whom the judge,
jury, witnesses, and all must soon appear, that he was
as innocent of stealing that man's purse as the babe un •
born was of committing murder.
The Learned JUDGE having summed up,
The jury returned a verdict of Nut Guilty.
•
OXFORD CIRCUIT, Stafford, Dec. 28.
(Before Mr. Baron IfOLFE.)
MURDER.—Sarah Westwood, aged 42, was arraigned
upon a charge of having murdered her husband, John
Westwood, by the administration of arsenic,

Mr. Corbett (with whom was Mr. Cope), conducted
the prosecution ; the prisoner bad retained the services
of Mr. Yardley on her behalf.
Charles Westwood examined by Mr. COPE—I am the
prisoner's son. We live at Burntwood, in this county.
There are four in family besides myself. On the 9th of
November last my father complained of pain in his head.
He dined:on that day upon gruel, of which the younger
children also partook. While dining he told one of my
sisters to bring his Bible, and that he would read a few
chapters, as was his wont. I went out then and returned
at one. My father in the meanwhile had gone to lie down
up stairs. I saw him again at five o'clock ; he com-
plained of being,. very cold. I never saw him again until
he was dying. borne of the neighbours were then around
him, and some of them said it was of no use sending for
a doctor. My mother had had some tea for dinner. A
man of the name of Phillips was lodging with us, who had
been living there some years.
Cross-examined by Mr. YARDLEY—My father and
mother had always lived on very good terms. On the
day in question my father first complained at eleven
o'clock. We dined at twelve o'clock. My eldest sister
was there part of the time. My mother was in the con-
stant habit of taking tea for dinner. My father had some
bread an.d meat after his gruel. He had been ailing for
some time, often once or twice a month for several years,
upon which occasions he had been used to go and lie
down after ihis dinner. My father himself declined the
assistance of a doctor. lie said he should be well as soon
as he could get warm. My mother tried to light a fire

for him.
Eliza Westwood examined by Mr. CORBETT—I saw
my mother make the gruel for my father. She put into
it sugar and butter. I had some of the gruel with sugar
in it, but no butter. My father asked what white stuff
was that he perceived in the gruel. My mother said she
did not know. My father complained of being unwell
soon after dinner. I went out for a short time. When
_

I returned my father had gone up stairs. I went out
and came back again at four o'clock. I was not unwell
after my dinner.
Cross-examined--I did not see the things washed up
after dinner that day. The basin in which my father
had his gruel was the one he generally used. My mother
usually had bread and butter to her dinner.
Mary Dawson examined by Mr. COPE—I saw the de-
ceased on the day of his death. He appeared in good
health in the morning. I saw him again between eight
and nine o'clock in the evening. He was then in bed,
partly undressed, and was lying across the bed. I was
about three-quarters of an hour, in the room. The pri-
soner was in the room part of the time. I saw her the
next morning. She told me she had been to Lichfield
for a certificate to bury her husband, but had not been
able to get one. She then asked me to go for one, and
said I must talk the registrars out of one.
Robert Westwood, brother of the deceased, said that
he remembered on several occasions having heard words
between the deceased and the prisoner. From the tes-
.

timony of this witness it appeared that an intimacy had
fur some time subsisted between the prisoner and a man
of the name of Phillips, contrary to the wishes of the
deceased.

Cross-examined—The prisoner and the deceased had
been married about 20 years. I have been married about
23 years. One dispute between the deceased and his
wife occurred on the 19th of October in my house. Ido
not think there were any others present at the time.
William Dawson—l live at Burtwood, and knew the
deceased and his wife, and also Phillips. I was present on
the occasion of a quarrel on the 2d of September between
those three persons. I was there when it began. West-
wood said to Phillips, " D—n your eyes, what were you
about when I knocked you down ?" Prisoner said,
" D—n his eyes, kill him, kill him 1" Then Westwood
said, " What was Phillips at with you ? I couldn't drop
on you last night." Prisoner then said, she would beg
her bread from door to door before she would live with
the deceased, that she had a little girl, and would take
her with her. That lit as her youngest child. She walked
away with the child.
Charles Dawson—l live above 50 yards from the pri-
soner. I was present on the occasion of a quarrel be-
tween her and her husband in the harvest time. I was
sitting on a bank. She laid hold of me and struck me.
She then did the same with her husband, and said,
" D—n your eyes, do you want to kill the man?" The
deceased said he did not want to kill him, he only w anted
a " right thing, and a right thing he would have." She
then struck me again, saying, " This row is all through
you." I said, "If you repeat that, I shall striate you.'
I did so, and knocked her down. The deceased then
walked on with me, -and we left her lying in the road.
She d—d her husband's eyes repeatedly, and wished him
dead.

An assistant to Mr. Highway, a surgeon, proved that
the prisoner and Hannah Mason came to his shop on the
Ist of November, and the latter asked his master for
white and red precipitate—arsenic and hellebore ; he
furnished her with them. She said they were for the
itch. I saw Hannah Mason mix them together with
her thumb. About a week after I saw the prisoner
again. She asked for the same articles that Mason had
previously had. I refused to supply the arsenic, but my
master directed me to let her have it on her saying that
she had had it before. I labelled the packets separately,
and Marked the arsenic " poison." She had either two
or fourpennyworth. It is Bd. an ounce.
Cross-examined—The two drugs mixed together
would be of a pink colour. Hannah Mason makes itch
ointment for sale.
Mr. Highway, surgeon, corroborated the :above state-
ment. _ _ _

Hannah Mason, a decrepit old woman, also confirmed
the account relative to the purchase of the poison, adding
further, that previously to going with the prisoner to the
shop, the prisoner asked her to accompany her to High-
way's, mentioning at the same time that she had three
children ill with the itch.
Cross-examined—l have never been examined before
the Coroner. I knew that the mixture:which I had would
never poison any one.
Mary Westwood, daughter of the prisoner—l have no
been living at home latterly. My father and mother did
not live on good terms, disputes often arose respecting
Phillips. I have seen my mother in prison. She told
me, on my asking her where she was on the Ist of No-
vember, that she went to Walsall to buy some poison, as
she and my father had had some breaking out in the
body, and that Hannah Mason had said that would
cure it.
John Raymond—l am inspector of police. I brought
the prisoner to Stafford on the 20th of November. While
on the road, she entered of her own accord into conver-
sation, and asked if bail would be taken for her appear-
ance. I said, how could she expect it, under such a
charge? I said, " You admitted to the Coroner that you
were at Walsall, and I believe you were in company
with Hannah Mason. She said she had been; but that
she had bought no poison.
Mr. Chevas, surgeon—l made a post mortem examina-
tion of the deceased. Dr. Rowley was there, and one of
the brothers of the deceased. The body was perfectly
healthy. I opened it. The muscles were remarkably
firm. The bowels were in an intense state of inflamma-
tion, the lungs turgid, and the whole body had the ap-
pearance of being injected. I took out the contents of
the stomach, and analyzed them. I tested them with
various tests. Every one clearly indicated arsenic. I
could independently detect small grains of arsenic by the
eye. With nitrate of silver I obtained the yellow pre-
cipitate. I used ..the black flux on charcoal, and re-
produced metallic arsenic and all the other tests and re-
agents. As I was going to Birmingham, I took the
stomach and contents to Messrs. Southall, analytical
chemists there ; and we perfectly satisfied ourselves of
the presence of a large quantity of arsenic, I think of
nearly half an ounce.
Cross-examined.--Rumours had reached me that the
deceased was poisoned before I examined his body. The
appearance of the intestines of a healthy subject would
not be similar to those of the deceased. They would
not be of so intense a red. The quantity of arsenic in
the stomach was so 'great that it could be removed
from the coats of the stomach with a spoon.
This witness underwent a rigid and skilful cross-
examination by Mr. Yardley, but his testimony was not
altered in any material particular.
Upon the close of the case for the prosecution, the
Learned Counsel addressed a very able and forcible ap-
peal to the jury on behalf of his client, commenting
with much minuteness upon every portion of the evi-
dence that had been adduced against her, and contend-
ing that, although a case of grave suspicion had been
made out, yet, notwithstanding this, if the circumstances
detailed were not incompatible with the innocence of the
prisoner, they would be bound by their oaths to ac-
quit her.
The Learned BeitON summed up with the greatest
impartiality and minuteness ; and the jury, after some
deliberation, returned a verdict of Guilty, with a re-
commendation to mercy, on the ground that the convict
was a woman.

His LORDSHIP, after the usual proclamation for silence
had been made, thus addressed the prisoner at the bar
—Sarah Westwood, the result of this long investigation
has been to satify a most patient and attentive jury that
you have been guilty of the crime of wilful murder, and
that against one'whom it was your duty to have cherished
and protected instead of to have injured and attacked. I
can scarcely conceive a crime of greater enormity or one
of a deeper dye. In cases of murder by violence the
attendant circumstances which contribute to the death of
a fellow-creature are comparatively easy of investigation,
but it is only by the advance of science and the progress
of knowledge that we are enabled to arrive at a satis-
factory conclusion where the offence has been perpetrated
in the cruel way which you thought proper to select.
When the guilt of a
party has been explored, and, after
careful investigation, has been clearly proved, it is then
incumbent on the law to interpose for the purpose of
punishment, with its severest vengeance. I make not
these remarks in order to intimidate or to upbraid you,
but rather to influence and exhort you to employ the
few remaining hours that will yet be allotted to you here
in earnest preparation for that solemn state on which
you must shortly enter. The Learned Baron then passed
sentence of death on the prisoner, who, upon being asked
whether she had anything to urge in stay of execution,
affirmed that she was pregnant.
A jury of matrons wag therefore empannelled to ascer-
tain the truth of this assertion, and a medical man was
sworn to assist them in their investigation. On re-
turning into Court in about 20 minutes they negatived
the allegation.
CHARGE OF MURDER.—Santuel Fellows, aged 19, Ro-
bert Purslow, 21, John Perry, is, and Daniel Webb, 20,
were charged with the wilful murder of Mary Jane Wild,
at Bilston, on the 29th of November last.
Mr. Yardley
with the assistance who was retained
of Mr. Boughs}', opened the case for the prosecution, and,
with him on the part of the Crown, elicited the facts of
the case.

As these have been so recently before the public a
very brief recapitulation of them as they appeared in evi-
dence will now suffice.
Ann Willis, examined by Mr. BOUGIIEY—Said she
was in company with the deceased on the 29th of No-
vember last, and that about six or seven o'clock in the
evening they met the prisoners Fellows, Purslow, Perry,
and Webb, and Thomas Haynes, in the streets at Wol-

verhampton, and had liquor and ale with them at dif-
ferent places. They left about eleven o'clock to go to
Bilston, and Webb wished her to go with him. She re-
fused, and he struck her. She then, with Haynes, went
on to Bilston, leaving the deceased with the other four
men behind. She and Haynes reached Bilston about
twelve o'clock, and slept in the same house. She saw no
more of the deceased until about half-past one o'clock the
next morning, when she was brought home sadly hurt.
The deceased and herself were perfectly sober.
John Turner, shoemaker, said his hous6 was on the
Wolverhampton-road, a short distance from Blaze's shop.
On the night of the 29th of November last he was called
up by John Perry and Samuel Fellows. They said,
" Here is a woman in a pit down below ; come and
help us to get her out." He asked them how they
knew this ; and they both said "We were walking
up the road and heard her shouting clown the pit,
and wef went on the bank and answered to her,
and asked if she had any bones broke, and she
said No.'" Witness immediately went down to them,
and said, they had better send for a police-
man, but they expressed themselves anxious to get her out
them selves. He then accompanied them to the coal-pit.
which is near to a footway leading out of the turnpike-
road. He called down, but no one answered. Perry
and Fellows then procured a rope, and witness informt d
the police. The deceased was brought out of the pit
with his assistance, and in his presence ; and he assisted
to remove her to the house in which she died, accompa-
nied by Perry and Fellows, who said they knew where
she lived. Witness did not hear her speak ; she seemed
unable, and to be badly injured by the fall. The de-
ceased's way home was not by the pit, but just the re-
verse. The height of the pit bank from the foot road
is about three yards, and the pit is about 28. yards deep
Mr. Charles Hodgkins, examined by Mr. BOUGHEY.
—ls a surgeon of Bilston. Attended the deceased from
the time she received her injuries to the time of her
death, and minutely described the different fractures
from which she suffered. He had, he said, made a post
mortem examination of the body, and detected the source
of all the mischief, which was the fracture of the os
pubis, or pubic bone, near its junction with t'e hip
bone, and which had produced, by means of a very mi-
nute portion or spicule of bone, a small laceration of the
peritoneum, and caused death. The deceased had a se-
vere lacerated wound on the forehead, two lacerated
wounds on the right knee, and a compound fracture of
the right thigh.
Mr. W. Baldwin then gave evidence that he took down
the following deposition of the deceased, made in the
presence of the prisoners, Fellows, Purslow, Perry, and
Webb, and the deceased was sworn, and perfectly col-
lected at the time. She also made her mark to the de-
position :—"I am eighteen years old, and have lived in
Bilston, in the county of Stafford, about six weeks. 1
never was married. I went from .Bilston to Wo!ver-
hampton on Wednesday last, in company with another
girl, named Ann Willis. I came back with the same
Ann Willis. We were overtaken on the road by five
men, whom I shall know when I see them. Four of
those men ill-used me. They pulled me out of the turn-
pike-road, and wanted to have concerns ' with me, but
I would not suffer them, and the same four men threw
me down a pit, because I would not suffer them to have
concerns' with me. The fifth man never came from
the turnpike-road with me, but he went along with Ai.n
Willis. The man that was with Ann Willis never in-
jured me at all. They pushed me into the pit, and I
cannot recollect anything after that ; it was late at
night when it happened, and I was quite sober, and I
make this declaration in the prospect of death soon
taking place, and fully believing that I shall
live but a short time through the injuries I have
received. I was in service until the latter end of July
last, and since then I have been on the town. The men
said to me before they pushed me into the pit, that if I
would not let them have concerns' with me, that that
should be my doom, to be thrown into the pit. I did
not think they would have put me in. I thought they
were only threatening me. They took hold of me round
the waist, and then pushed me into the pit. The four
men are now present. I know 'them all, having seen
them before, except John Perry. They are the same
men that were with me on Wednesday night. I had
been with three of them previous to that night. There
were four men went off the road with me, and one went
back again, but I can't' say which it was, I was so
knocked about by them before they got me to the pit."
Thomas Tomlinson said he was a police-officer in Bil-
ston on the 29th and 30th days of November last, and
was on duty on the first of those days, and met the two
witnesses, Haynes and Willis, who made a charge of
assault against Webb, who was in company with three
other men and a young woman, on the Wolverhamp-
ton-road. He soon after met Purslcev and another
young man, whom be believed to be Webb, and
asked them if they had seen four young men and
a girl coming from Wolverhampton ? and Purslow said,
" No." He then went back into the town, and met the
last witness. and accompanied him to the pit. He there
saw Purslow and Webb, who assisted to get the deceased
out. They said, " You saw us on the road ; we were
then going to get assistance to get her out of the pit."
Fellows brought the deceased out of the pit, and he said,
" She slipped in as we were going by the pit, and I
might as well have slipped in myself." The deceased's
dress was much disordered. She had a pair of drawers
on, but they were‘ over her heels.

On the cfose of the case for the Crown,
Mr. ALLEN addressed the jury in a speech of great
eloquence and ability, and
Mr. Baron ROLFE having summed up,
The jury, after five minutes' deliberations returned
verdict of Acquittal.
The Court rose at 9 o'clock. The four prisoners will
be arraigned to-morrow morning upon a charge of as-
saulting with intent to ravish the deceased.
During the. day the heat of the court, from the crowds
with which it has been thronged, has been most suffocat-
ing. The above two trials appeared to excite much in-
terest.

The trials of Oakes and Spilsbury, for the murder of
James Beech at Apedale, is fixed for to-morrow.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
(SATURDAY.)
CITY POLICE COMMITTEE.

Mr. Busbridge, the landlord of the Robin Hood public-
house, in Robin Hood-court, Shoe-lane, Fleet-street,
appeared, in company with Mr. Duncombe, the solicitor,
before Mr. Alderman Challis and Sir James Duke, to
answer a charge laid by the police for unlawfully and
knowingly permitting persons of notorious bad character
—to wit, thieves, &c.—to assemble and meet togther in
his house on the night of the 14th inst., contrary to the
tenour of his license, and against the Statute. He
pleaded not guilty.
The constable who laid the information, George Haw,
No. 205, stated that on the day mentioned in the sum-
mons, at about midnight, he went into the Robin Hood,
and in the tap-room found nearly twenty persons assem-
bled. Amongst them he recognised eight notorious
thieves, namely, six men and two females. Five of them
he knew had been convicted. He saw the defendant at
the bar, and told him he should summons him for having
improper persons in his house. The defendant knew
what he (witness) meant, he having laid an information
against him for a similar offence some months since.
Sir JAMES DUKE (to the officer)—You have stated
that you knew them to be notorious thieves. Do you
know their names? Witness—Yes, Sir, I do.

Sir JAMES DUKE—Then name them. Witness—They
are called the " Piggott's Gang."
Sir JAMES DUKE—That's not an answer to my ques-
tion. Witness—Their names I know to be Witham
Piggott, Hugh Christ, John Luton, Little Old Man, and
Cavener.

Sir JAMES DUKE—What were they convicted for ?
Witness—Some were convicted at the Old Bailey.
Sir JAMES DUKE—Were you in the Court at the
time ? Witness—l was not.
Sir JAMES DUKE —How long ago is it since the con-
viction took place? Witness—l cannot tell.
.Sir JAMES DUKE—Have you made any inquiries of
the proper authorities, or obtained a copy of any official
document to prove to the Magistrates that these persons
are convicted thieves? Witness—l have not, Sir.

Sir JAMES DUKE.—Have you any witnesses to call to
prove that they are convicted thieves ? Witness—
No, I have not.

Mr. DuNcomnE (the defendant's solicitor)—Then
where did you obtain your information from ? Witness
—A brother constable told me.

Mr. DuNcomuE—l thought so ; and is he here ?
Witness—No, he is not.—(A laugh).
Sir JAMES DUKE (with much surprise)—Then how do
you expect we can go into the case, upon the wholesale
manner in which you have brought it into Court ? For
my part, I will never decide upon such evidence.
Mr. Alderman CHALLIS—Nor will I. You ought to
have brought proof before us that these parties were
characters who had been tried and convicted. Your
statement amounts only to hearsay.
The defendant said he used every precaution in his
power to prevent bad characters entering his house ;
respecting the man Piggott, whom the officer had spoken
of as being a thief, he could positively state, that if he
had been convicted, it had not been during the last ten
years.
Sir JAMES DUKE and Mr. Alderman CHALLIS dis-
missed the summons ; but cautioned the defendant to
be careful for the future, otherwise the license of his
house would be endangered.