The Sun.
London, England, 1845-07-18 00:00:00

THAMES POLICE.

SEIZURE OF AN ILLICIT STILL—CONVICTION OF THE
Palsowaas.—Yesterday Edward Dichen, John ,Dines, John
Watson, and Thomas Welsh, were charged before Mr. Bal-
lantine with being in an unentered place, where a private still
was at work, for the manufacture of spirits.
An account of the seizure of the still and apparatus, and the
capture of the prisoners, was inserted in The Sun of yesterday.
The evidence of the revenue officers confirmed in every respect
the particulars already published.
The prisoners were called upon for their defence. They
muttered a few words of no import, except Jones, who has not
given his real name, and who added aloud, " I have nothing
particular to say."
Mr. BALLANTINE fined them 301. each, and, in default of
payment, sentenced them to three months' imprisonment and
hard labour in the House of Correction.
WANDS WORTH.

CHARGE OF FELONY AGAINST A POLlCEMAN.—Yesterday
John Cox, police-constable 257 V division, was charged with
stealieg a sovereign, the property of Samuel Palmer, police-
sergeant 6 V division.
Sarah Anne Palmer was the first witness. She said—l am
the wife of Samuel Palmer, a police-sergeant, and live in the
section-house at Priest-bridge, in the parish of Putney. The
prisoner is a single man lodger in the same house. On Wed-
nesday evening police-constable Morgan M‘Mahon, 40 V,
brought me a sovereign and 2s. 6d., my husband's money, and
laid it en the mantel shelf of the back room on the first floor.
After he had left the room I went down stairs to see to the
children, and saw the prisoner standing at the gate, who. shortly
afterwards went into the house, and up the stairs, as if he was
going to his bedroom ; to do so he would have to pass the door
of my room, which I had left open, therefore he could see the
money as he passed. He was gone about ten minutes or a
quarter of an hour,- and when he came back he said to me,
" How much do I owe you?" and I answered 2s. Bd. He
then gave me 35., and 1 went upstairs to get change. When
I missed the sovereign I suspected the prisoner had taken
it, because no other person had been upstairs, and on
my return I said to him " You have been playing me a
lark ; you have got my sovereign ; I don't like larks with
money, and I won't have it." He said he knew nothing about
it ; I might search his box, and he also exclaimed, " So help
me God, I've not got it." I afterwards informed my husband
of what had taken place.
Mr. PATNTEIt asked the prisoner if he wished to put any
questions to the witness ?
The prisoner said he came home at half-past six, that he
paid Mrs. Palmer what he owed, and •fas afterwards standing
waiting for his change, when she accused him of taking a
sovereign, which he denied having done or having even been
in the room.

Police-constable Morgan APlllahon stated that about a
quarter after ten o'clock on Wednesday night he was on duty
on Putney-heath, when he met the prisoner, who asked him if
he had got any beer. Witness said he had not ; he then said,
About that sovereign, it's a strange thing where it is gone,"
and witness said it was, and very unpleasant for all the men
who lived in the house, and he asked the prisoner if he knew
anything about it. The prisoner replied, " If you'll keep the
secret, I'll tell you where it is, and give you half." Witness
said ke would, and the prisoner then told him that it was hid
under some bricks near the privy. Witness then left tlia
prisoner, and shortly afterwards meeting with his father, who
is acting-sergeant, told him what the prisoner had said to him.

Acting-sergeant M'Mahon stated that on the very spot
mentioned by the prisoner he found the sovereign put under
some bricks. Witness then went back for the prisoner, and
told him, in the presence of the other constables, what he had
said about the sovereign, and that it was found. He then
plumply denied having said a word, but when he got to the
station-house at Wandsworth he stated he took it out of a lark.
In answer to a question from the Bench, Mrs. Palmer said
that, in the first instance, she thought the prisoner to'k the
sovereign out of a lark, but that by denying it he had after-
wards made up his mind to keep it.
11r. PAYNTTR said the case must go for trial. A jury must
decide whether the sovereign was taken in a lark or not.

SHIPWRECK OF A DUTCH INDIA-

MAN

NINETEEN OF THE CREW STARVED TO DEATH,

AND FOUR DROWNED.
One of the most heartrending shipwrecks that has happened
for some time was yesterday made known at Lloyd's, by the
arrival of the ship Chance, Captain Roxby, from Sydney, in
the London Docks, having on board a portion of the crew of a
Dutch Indiaman, named the John Hendrick, H. W. Edkelen-
bury, master, which was totally lost on the rocks forming St.
Paul's Island, on the morning of the 29th of May, while on
her voyage from Amsterdam to Batavia. The manner in
which the deplorable occurrence was discovered is remarkable.
It appears that on the night of the 2d of June, the crew of
the Chance were anxious to ascertain whether such rocks as
were laid down in the chart forming St. Paul's Island, 45
miles north of the equator, and 29 degrees west, were really to
be seen, as many doubts prevailed as to their existence.
Captain Roxby informed them that if the same course they
were then going was kept until the following morning, they
would come in sight of the rocks. Accordingly at eight
o'clock they descried them, and at half-past nine the
Captain was much surprised by observing, through a glass,
Dutch ensign flying from a spar on the island. It being sur-
mised that a vessel had been wrecked near the spot no time
was lost in bearing up to the rocks, and on nearing them,
several persons were noticed on them, evidently in an ex-
hausted state. The captain ordered the pinnace to proceed to
their assistance. About twenty poor creatures were found
lying about exhausted and apparently in a dying condition.
The boat not being able to take them all off, the captain, the
chief officer, steward, carpenter, two seamen, and three ap-
prentice boys, were first rescued, the remainder being assured
by the boat's party that they would return and preserve
them also. The ship was speedily gained, and on the cap-
tain learning that eleven persons were still on the island,
he promptly ordered the long boat to be lowered, and
with the pinnace started for the rocks. Only twelve
minutes elapsed ere they had set out a second time for the
island, but in the meanwhile a sharp breeze had sprung
up, a tremendous sea ran, and a trong current set in to
the westward. Both boats kept beating about for five
hours, and it appearing evident that if they kept out much
later they would be swept away, they returned to the ship,
having been unable to rended the promised assistance. It
being probable that the gale might in some measure abate,
Captain Roxby kept his ship beating about the island, as
it was impossible to anchor, there being no soundings, for ten
entire days ; and having seen nothing of the poor creatures,
who by that time must have perished from the intense heat,
and the want of water and food, he sailed for England, his
own provisions by this time becoming very short. On ques.
tioning those whom he had saved, he learned that they belonged
to the Indiaman in question ; that on the morning of the 29th
of May she was running under a press of sail, when at three
o'clock the watch on deck discovered the rocks ahead so close
as made it impossible to clear them. The helm was instantly
brought to, but also at the same moment she struck, and the
succeeding wave pitched her on her beam ends. Every endea-
vour was instantly made to get her off; her rigging and masts
were cut away in order to lighten her, but as the sea kept dash-
ing her against the rocks with terrific force, she soon broke up.
The captain succeeded in reaching the rocks with a line, and se-
cured it round one of the loftiest cliffs, in effecting which he was
no less than seven times swept down the rock, frightfully lacerat-
ing his body. The line being also made fast to the wreck, most part
of the crew contrived to haul themselves on to the island by
it. Four brave fellows attempted to land in a boat with
the ship's papers and some provisions, but on nearing the
breakers, a heavy sea capsized her, and they all perished. A
poor boy, who has been saved, had his arm broken by being
dashed against the rocks. On assembling on the frightful
spot which they had been cast upon, which presented not the
remotest chance of escape, starvation stared them in the face.
Of wearing apparel they had saved none, save the few drenched
rags that coveted them ; and of food, the only thing they could
rescue from the wreck were a cask of butter, a cask of flour, a
small biscuit, and a small keg of gin. Immediately under the
line, a burning sun pouring upon them, and not having a drop
of water to quench their thirst, the heat was intense, and which
they could only allay by wading into the sea up to the chin, and
thus remain the whole day. At night time the spirit was dis.
tributed amongst them. The single biscuit was broken up and
divided equally, and then they commenced scouring the rocks
in the hope of finding further food. They succeeded in get-
ting a few wild fowls and eggs; they were almost
driven to madness. At dusk a few drops of rain were felt de-
scending; they instantly laid out a kind of sail to catch it, and
held their heads up to the heavens with their mouths open. :t
soon, however, passed over. On the third day, to their great
joy, a vessel bearing American colaurs hove in sight in the
offing. They hoisted the signal on the spar, and in order to
make doubly sure, the mate, seven seamen, and a passenger put
off in the only boat th 'y had been enabled to save, with a small
piece of wood to dabble along, the oars being lost, to the ap-
proaching ship, but she passed onwards and was not seen after-
wards. The poor creatures in the boat then strove to regain
the island ; the current was too strong for them, and they were
speedily lost sight of. That they have perished there can be no
doubt. They had not the slightest provision with them—no
compass, and no oars, the nearest place being Cape Roque,
more than COO miles distant. The sufferings of those left on

the rocks, on perceiving the fate of those in the boat, were ten-
fold; and on the fourth day they gave themselves up to death.
They were rapidly oinking from the effects of the heat, the
skin on their face, hands, &c., actually peeling off. On the
morning of the fifth day the Chance hove in sight, and as
before noticed, saved seven. Eleven, amongst whom was
the doctor, were left en the island. On the arrival of the
poor fellows yesterday, they waited upon the Netherlands
Consul, who, having relieved their destitute condition, housed
them at the Yorkshire Grey Tavern, Lower Thames-street,
and they will proceed to their native country to-morrow morn-
ing by the Rotterdam mail steamer. The ill-fated Indiaman
belonged to Rotterdam, was 800 tons burden, and had only
been built about two months previous to her los,. To Captain
Roxby the highest commendation is due for the humane and
prompt steps he adopted to rescue the unfortunate persons on
the island. Those who are indebted to him for the preserva-
tion of their lives, declare that nothing could exceed his en-
deavours to re-make the island. Night and day he was on deck
attempting it. Of the fate of the 11 poor creatures left on the
rocks, it is the opinion of Captain Roxby, as also the Dutch
captain, that they must have perished in a day or two after-
wards ; for had they been rescued by any other vessel, she must
have been fallen in, with by the Chance. The rocks being
situated some hundreds of miles cut of the track of vessels trading
to the Cape, perhaps scarcely two out of 1,000 ever meet
with them.