The Sun.
London, England, 1844-01-11 00:00:00

CORONER'S IN QUEST.

(From the Cambridge Advertiser of Wednesday.)
On Monday, at four o'clock, a Coroner's inquest was
held at the house of Benjamin Lambert, the Coach and
Horses, Newnham, before Mr. C. H. Cooper, Coroner,
and a jury, on the body of Mr. Stephen Crisford, formerly
the worthy and respected host of the Bull Hotel, who
came by his death as detailed in evidence::—
John Darnell, of Nownham, labourer, said he was at
work near the Bull Leys, at about ten minutes past eleven
o'clock to-day (Monday), when I saw a hat lying on
this side of the water against a stump ; had not heard of
any one being missed. I walked four or five yards fur-
ther on, and saw a body in the water. I called a man
named Faircloth, who was at work with me and we pulled
it out. It was standing upright, the water just coming
over his head. His clothes and gloves were all on, and
his coat buttoned up, I think. The body felt cold. The
face looked black. The coat was dirty in several places,
as if he had been trying to get out. It appeared as if
he had got in from Bull Leys side. A person might slip
in the water, as it is very steep there. His back was
towards the bank. The lads generally bathe there. The
water is about 4 feet deep in the summer, and not more
than 5i feet now ; part of the head, just the crown, was
above the water. I had been at work there from about
half-past nine. I saw some lads with some horses go
close by, but they did not see the body. I am working
in the Bull Leys. Any one can go in the field from where
the deceased seemed to have got into the water. He Yips
an allotment of land close by there, part of the Bull
Leys. I could see one foot mark by the bank. It was a
firm mark, not as of a person slipping. He was about
21 yards from the bank. His legs were straight. His
boots were quite clean.
The constable was here difected by the Coroner to
examine the pockets of the deceased. There was not
anything found in the clothes, except one or two small
accounts, which were taken from the breast pocket.
Sarah Fling deposed that she lived as servant at No. 2,
King's-parade (where deceased had lately resided, with
Mrs. Crisford). She last saw the deceased alive at
about ten minutes past eight this morning. He had just
come from his bed-room. She buttoned his boots. He
told her not to let his dogs come after him. He used to
go to the Bull in a morning, and this morning she felt
rather surprised that he did not take the dogs with him.
He had been very poorly last night, and this morn-
ing she asked him how he was, and he replied,
" better." When he lived at the Bull, he used to go
out for an hour's walk before breakfast, and return
about eight o'clock. This morning she did not notice
which way deceased went on leaving the house. He
slept at the Bull for a month past. They waited break-
fast for him this morning a long time. It was not quite
ready when he went out. He mostly wore spectacles ;
but she did not notice if he had any on this morning.
He did not wear a watch. She thought he appeared very
strange in his manner yesterday.
Charles Speed, labourer, of Newnham, deposed that he
saw deceased this morning about half-past nine, going
along by Caius Closes, opposite the Bull Leys, the other
side of the road ; was surprised at his being rather earlier
this morning than usual ; his head was held rather down.
After a short consultation the jury returned a verdict
that " The deceased was found drowned ; but by what
means he became so there was no evidence to show."
It was stated that the deceased, who was well known
and universally respected, was sixty years of age. He
gave up possession of the Bull Inn, Trumpington-street,
of which he had been landlord many years, oil Saturday
night, to Mr. Edlin, brother to Mr. Edlin, foreman and
general manager of the business carried on by Mrs.
Greef, King's-parade.

THE PRESS IN PRUSSIA.—The Universal Prussian
Gazette of the 4th inst. in its official part publishes the
following reply to the petition of the Provincial Diet re-
lative to the freedom of the press :—" It is impossible
to realise the wishes of our faithful States, having
for their object the establishment of the liberty of
the press, inasmuch as such a liberty would be
incompatible with the federal legislation, and that,
moreover, it would not be fitting to make a special
legislation for such of the provinces of the monarchy
which do not belong to the Germanic Confederation.
Neither can we modify the existing laws respecting
the press, as they have been recently settled en
fixed principles, and we have suppressed. various
enactments, of which the application was attended
with inconvenience. The law of censorship has
been prepared in such a manner as to conciliate the
interest of morals and of the public good, with the
publication of opinions in writing. We have anticipated
the wish expressed by our States that the office of censor
should only be entrusted to enlightened and conscientious
men. It is according to this law that censors are ap-
pointed. We cannot consent to the establishment of an
authority appointed to inspect the press in each province
of the monarchy, because this would be an arbitrary in-
terpretation of the law."
THE LATE BISHOP OF CLOGHER.—In a recent
number, we quoted from the Scotsman an account of the
death, and some circumstances connected with the re-
cent history, of the once celebrated and infamous Bishop
of Clogher, who finished his career in Edinburgh, under
an assumed name, some weeks ago. On Saturday, we
were a good deal surprised to find the subject revived in
a Glasgow Contemporary, under circumstances of a
most extraordinary nature—the late Hon. and Rev. John
Stapleton, so well known in this city, being declared no
other than the Bishop of Clogher, who had lived among
us for fifteen years under a feigned name. The Hon.
and Rev. John Stapleton was a resident in Glasgow
before the disgrace of the Bishop of Clogher was con-
summated, and was all along well known as a member
of the noble house of Le Despencer, being
uncle to the present Baroness, who inherits the family
honours in her own right. Mr. Stapleton died in Eglin-
ton-street, Laurieston, about the beginning of 1843,
when his remains were transmitted to England to be in-
terred in the family burying place. These facts, of
themselves, are sufficient to disprove the statement re-
ferred to, seeing that the Bishop of Clogher, under the
name of Wilson, died only a fews weeks ago ; and we
may add, that the appearance of the two men was ex-
ceedingly dissimilar. Having thought it right thus to
do justice to the memory of Mr. Stapleton, we may
state that there is no doubt whatever that the Bishop
of Clogher, under the name of Thomas Wilson, did,-
several years ago, reside in Glasgow, though
the circumstance appears to have been known to very
few indeed. He lived with an Irish family, near to the
west end of Tradeston, and, so far as we have been able
to learn, they were perfectly aware of his real identity,
and, indeed, seem to have been intrusted with the care of
his person by his relatives. His habits were, as de-
scribed by the Scotsman, exceedingly recluse ; he was
seldom seen on the street, received no visitors, and every
movement went to show that he was thoroughly im-
pressed with the propriety, if not the duty, of forgetting
his past dignities, and living a life of humble obscurity.
The reason of his removal to Edinburgh, about four years
ago, yo hape not ascortgA9l—Glasym drgus,