The Sun.
London, England, 1845-11-24 00:00:00

MARYLEBONE VESTRY.

THE NORTH LONDON JUNCTION UNION RAILWAY.
On Saturday Mr. RIDGEWAY presented a memorial, signed
by sixty-four inhabitants of St. John's ;wood, against a new
line of railway, projected from the Great Western Railway,
to be called the " North London Junction Union Railway"
—(A laugh)—which, after passing by a tunnel under the
Edgeware-road, was to have an opening forty-two feet deep,
and four hundred wide, in St. John's-wood, and cutting in
twain the road with its plantations to Primrose-hill, would
by a circuitous route cross the Birmingham line to Holloway,
thence to Frogmore lane, and ultimately to its terminus in
Fore-street.—(lmmense laughter.) The gentlemen who signed
the memorial had beneficial interests in their properties, which
would be destroyed, and parish property would also be in-
jured by the proposed line, as it would drive from the neigh
bourhood its present respectable and wealthy inhabitants.
In his opinion, although he was not opposed to main trunks,
for he thought that they would provebeneficial, those branch
lines would impoverish thousands, and render men and money
scarce.—(Hear, hear.)
Sir PETER LAURIE concurred in many points with the last
speaker, and would express his belief that of the 199 railway
schemes projected, they would see no other but the ones al-
ready perfected. The railway alluded to in the memorial
was a new one, different from that which was to run through
the Regent's-canal, and have a terminus in his ward, Alders-
gate-street.—( Laughter.) The Crown tenants would join
the rate-payers heart and soul in opposing any railway in
that direction, as it would close up the lungs of the metro-
polls, which the Regent's Park was justly designated, and
would also inflict an irreparable loss upon the parish, as the
rates would be considerably reduced in consequence of the
occupiers of its palaces being compelled by the noise and
smoke of the engines to leave them.—(Hear. )
Colonel MR pledged himself to give the project every op-
Nosition.
Mr. DANIEL said that a third railway—the " Barnet and
North Metropolitan Junction"—was also contemplated to run
in the same direction.—(Laughter.) Ho was compelled to
close his gates upon the surveyors and engineers who sought
to inspect his premises. Notwithstanding all his precautions
to keep them out, they scaled his walls at night and effected
their object.—(Loud laughter.)
Mr. Annurr was of opinion that the Company would ob-
, tain the consent of Parliament for their project, if they only
proved that they were able to carry it out.
The memorial was referred to the committee appointed to
oppose the line along the Regent's-canal.
BONE-CRUSHING IN WORKHOUSES.

Mr. FLOOD read a communication from the guardian

containing an order from the Poor-law Commissioners, prohi-
biting bone-crushing in unions or workhouses ; and also the
answer of the guardians to the Commissioners, in which the
guardians expressed their indignation at the Commissioners
sending such as order, as it implied that they countenanced
so inhuman and so loathsome a practice in the workhouse,
which, in fact, sprang up under the sanction of the Commis-
missioners themselves. The guardians, in conclusion, ex-
pressed a strong hope that efforts would be made during the
ensuing session to deprive the Commissioners of the mon-
strous, unconstitutional, and cruelly-exercised power which

_
they enjoyed.—(Hear.)
Upon the motion of Mr. Michie, seconded by Sir Peter
Laurie, and supported by Mr. Williams, the communication
was approved of, and entered upon the minutes.
LORD PORTMAN'S GATES.

Sir JAMES lLtmit:ToN, Bart., brought up the report of the
committee appointed to take measures for the removal of the
gates erected by Lord Portman, in Harewood-place • and
also the opinion of counsel upon a case drawn up in reference
to the subject. Counsel's opinion stated that the vestry had
a legal right to remove those gates, and advised the vestry
to direct their surveyor to take measures to have them re-
moved. The committee approved of counsel's opinion, and
the vestry directed the surveyor to act in accordance with it.
After some further routine business, of no public interest,
the vestry broke up.

CHARGE OF DRUNKENNESS AND
NEGLECT OF DUTY AGAINST AN ENGINE
DRIVER. _ _

At Chelmsford petty sessions, on Friday, Andrew Wright,
an engine driver, in the service of the Eastern Counties Rail-
way, was charged under the Act 3d and 4th Victoria, with
being found drunk and incapable of taking care of his engine
on the 15th instant.
The investigation, which lasted nearly six hours, excited
considerable interest, the Court being crowded with the
employes of the railway. Mr. Widdicombe, from the office of
Mr. Duncan, the solicitor of the Company, appeared to sup-
port the charge; and Mr. B. W. Rawlings, solicitor of Rom-
ford, for the accused.
Mr. Widdicombe briefly stated the case, and said that the
present proceeding was taken under a public Act of Parlia-
ment for the regulation of railways, the 13th section of
which gave the magistrate the power of sending a person
to prison for any term not exceeding two months, with or
without hard labour, should they be satisfied with the guilt
of the party charged with a similar offence to that of the
accused. They had the power, in addition, to inflict a penalty
of any sum not exceeding 101. By the 14th section of the
same Act, should the case be one of a flagrant nature, they
had the power of sending the prisoner for trial at the quar-
ter sessions. when, on conviction, the party was liable to be
imprisoned for any time not exceeding two years. The Act
gave the magistrates summary power. Therefore, should the
case be proved against the accused, he should call upon them
to act summarily on the present occasion. He begged to
state that the Eastern Counties Company had, for the safety
of the public, ordered the investigation to be closely per.
sued, not with any degree of personality or harshness to-
wards the accused, but solely to show the public at large
that the slightest charge of neglect of duty against any of
their servants should be strictly investigated.
Evidence was then gone into, no fewer than twelve wit-
nesses being examined on behalf of the prosecution. From
their evidence it appeared, that on Saturday night last the
defendant left Colchester as engine-driver of the up cattle
train about five minutes past ten, and according to three
witnesses who conversed with him, he was quite sober. On
arriving at about seven hundred yards from the Witham sta-
tion, Packer, the guard, observed the red light in the centre
of the line (the signal to stop). Instead of doing this, the
accused went on one hundred yards beyond the station, al-
though, according to Packer, there was plenty of time for
him to have stopped before reaching the station on seeing
the red light. Packer then thought the accused was drunk,
which supposition was strengthened when they reached a
place called Boreham. At this place there is no station, but
two white lights are placed at the spot to denote a crossing.
On arriving at this spot the defendant reversed his engine
and went back for one hundred yards, but on being spoken
to by the guard, again reversed the engine and went on to
Chelmsford. Here the guard informed the night porter that
the accused was drunk, and incapable of taking charge of
the engine. Mr. M‘Kenzie, the station master, was called
up, and being also of opinion that the defendant was in
liquor, he was given into custody, and the train was taken
on to London by another driver.
Mr. Rawlings addressed the bench at some length on be-
half of the accused, and called a host of witnesses, all in the
employ of the company, who saw the accused at the Chelms-
ford station, and who swore that he was not drunk, and was
quite capable of taking the train to London.
Mr. Scott, the superintendent of the locomotive depart-
ment, gave the accused a most excellent character for so-
briety, and said that every one, when theyheard of the charge
against him, was greatly surprised.
After a,most minute and patient investigation, the accused
was discharged, the chairman remarking that he trusted it
would act as a caution to all engbe• drivers not to take any-
thing to drink when in the performance of their duties.

IMPORTANT CULINARY REClPE.—lnnumerable
recipes are being published daily for the preservation and
restoration of the diseased potatoes, but none have come
under our observation so simple and useful as the following,
which was communicated to us by John Williams, Esq., of
Pitmaston, who has himself tried it, on the recommendation
of a friend, and assures us of its complete success. He,
procured a small quantity of the diseased potatoes, and put
them into a kettle filled with cold water, without paring
them ; the vessel was then placed over the fire and allowed
to remain until the potatoes were about half boiled, when
the water was poured away, and a fresh supply of cold
water put into the vessel, which was replaced over the fire
until the potatoes were sufficiently boiled for use. They
were then served up, and after the covering had been re-
moved, although the diseased parts still appeared blacker
than the other, yet there was no disagreeable taste or odour
attached to them, and in the opinion of the experimentalist,
who partook of them, they were decidedly equal, if not supe-
rior, in flavour, to some which had been selected as the more
perfect. The fears of his friends were excited that some in-
disposition would follow the eating of the diseased vegetable,
but we are happy to say that no ill effects were experienced
therefrom. Worcester Journal.
A LOST RAILWAY SURVEYOR.—The risible facul-
ties of the good people of Swansea were pretty freely exer-
cised last evening, at hearing the town crier announcing a
reward of ss. for the recovery of a railway surveyor, of
large size, whose figure and dress were most minutely de-
scribed. He was supposed to have been stolen or strayed.
On inquiry we found that a party of surveyors, among whets
was our hero, were directed to be at Brecon by a certain hour
this morning, and that they could not conveniently proceed
without him. Hence this most novel method of discovering
his retreat.—Cambrian of Friday.
FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT TO A BUTCHER'S BOY.--.

Saturday an accident of a very painful character occurred
to a boy named William Howe, aged fifteen years, in the
employ of Mr. Butler, the butcher, carrying on business in
High-street, Southwark. The lad, it appears, was directed
to reach a joint of mutton from a high hook, and while so
engaged his foot slipped off the steps, and in his descent his
left hand got fastened on the hook. His cries attracted the
attention of the shopman, who upon going to his aid, dis-
covered that the poor fellow was completely suspended, and
before he could extricate him, the flesh of the hand gave way,
and he fell to the floor. He was removed to the nearest sur-
geon's residence, but the limb was so dreadfully lacerated
that he advised his removal to Guy's Hospital, where he was
immediately placed in bed and put under the care of Mr.
Morgan, the house surgeon. He was on Saturday in a very
exhausted state from the hemorrhage consequent upon the
injuries, which were certainly of a most frightful character.
The news from our herring boats off the North
Foreland is still favourable. The catch has been very great.
One boat lost thirty-one nets, carried away by the immense
quantity of fish which they contained.—Brighton Herald.
Count de Jarnac, the French Charge d'Affaires,
has taken the mansion of Lady Wilmot Horton, in Upper
Brook- street, for a limited period; and the Count and Countess
removed to their residence from the French embassy the day
before yesterday.