The Sun.
London, England, 1844-10-21 00:00:00

THE ItATAN AFFAIR.

The investigation into the Ratan affair, by which
Sam Rogers, the j4ckey, and a Mr. Braham, his
friend, living at Newmarket, are charged, with other
professi mal betting men, of laying large sums against
the horse to procure its defeat, has been entered into
by the stewards of the Jockey Club at Newmarket.
The inquiry has originated in a joint letter from Cap-
tain Rous and Lord George Bentinck to the stewards,
and the examination commenced on Tuesday. The
court consisted of the Marquis of Exeter, Lord Strad-
broke, Colonel Anson, the Duke of Beaufort, and
Colonel Peel. The public press on the occasion were
refused admission, an intimation being given that the
stewards had employed a short-hand writer of their
own from the office of Mr. Gurney, and they should
hereafter publish what portions of the evidence they
deemed expedient.
Captain Rous opened the case, stating the facts
simply as they had come to his knowledge.—Lord
Gearge Bentinck entered into the entire history of
the case, drawing deductions, and showing the neces •
city for inquiry. It is understood that Rogers, in the
first instance, voluntarily went to Mr. Crockford, and
stated that overtures had been made to him to lose
the race, and that, impressed with a belief that if he
did not appear to accede, the parties who held out the
temptation would find some other means to attain
their end ; he had agreed to lay 10,0001. to 2,0001.
against the horse, and signed his name to this bet on
the solicitations of a Mr. Braha'n, in the book of Mr.
Ives, a gentleman well known in the betting circles,
and that, subsequently, other bets had been made
against the horse, on his account, by a gentleman
named Crommelin, at and after the Chester Meet-
ing, to win a stake, if the horse lost, of 1,0001.—
The inducement of Rogers to make this statement is
not known. By some the confession of the circum-
stance is attributed to anonymous letters sent
to Mr. Crockford, senior, which that gentleman
sent to Rogers's father ; while others assert that he
made the disclosures of fear of discovery, and to gain
protection should his guilt be discovered. The
statement was then communicated to Lord
George Bentinck, who, on the Wednesday following,
publicly called over Sam Rogers's betting-book at
Epsom, Mr. Ives being present. Lord George Ben-
tinck required, if any bet were not mentioned it might
be claimed, but neither Mr. Ives, or any other person
answered. Sam Rogers solemnly declared his inten-
tions to have been pure, and that he never would re-
ceise or pay if the horse won or lost; he at the same
time made statements highly prejudicial to the bets
made by Mr. Crommelin. Lord George Bentinck
placed the fullest reliance on all these statements of
Rogers, believing him to have been imprudent,
but sincere and honest, and, under this persuasion,
he permitted him to continue to ride for himself and
the Duke of Richmond. His confidence in him was
the firmer because, on oath before a Select Committee
of the House of Lords, he denied that he had or was
to receive any portion of the bets he had laid. Sub-
sequently Lord George Bentinck discovered that
Rogers had departed from truth in many material
points, and more especially that he had actually re-
ceived 1,6601., a fact disclosed by Braham, who ab-
sconded. Braham's story of the transaction was also
quite at variance with Rogers's, and he owned that
he himself had solicited Ives and Crommelin, through
Stebbings, to execute the commission, assuring them
that, however good the horse might be, he was in-
capable of winning the Derby; and further, that in-
stead of 10,000/. to 2,0001., the actual bet laid by
Rogers, through him, to Mr. Ives was 5,000/. to
1,0001. With Ives the negotiation was made in Febru-
ary, with Mr. Crommelin not till the Chester Meeting.
Messrs. Ives and Crommelin, in explaining on their part,
said they had betted only on the firm belief they had
in Rogers when he represented that the horse could
not win, and they were both desirous of a full ex-
planation, so as to refute the calumnies against them.
On the first day Sam Rogers and Braham were exa-
mined; and on Wednesday, Rogers was again called
in, and followed by Mr. Crockford. Foster, a shoe-
maker, a friend of Braham, was next examined, after
which Mr. Ives was called in, and entered into the
most unreserved account of his portion of the transac-
tion. Some warm altercation ensued between Lord
George Bentinck and Mr. Ives, and at last the court
was cleared. On Thursday morning, Rogers, Bra-
ham, and Foster, as well as Mr. Ives, were recalled.
At the evening sitting, Mr. Crommelin was called in, and
entered into an account of his conduct from first to last,
refuting what had been said in his disfavour. This led to
the recal of Rogers, who said and unsaid, and equi-
vocated so palpably, that he was ordered to withdraw,
and the impression in favour of Mr. Crommelin was
general and conclusive. His defence, and the re-
examination of Rogers and Braham, lasted from five
till eight o'clock. On Friday Mr. Ives was again
called in, and Mr. Hill and Mr. Sadler were likewise
examined. The evidence having been concluded, and
there being no other witnesses in attendance, the
court deliberated, and then adjourned the subject to
Monday in the Houghton Meeting. In the interim
the evidence is to be printed, in order that the wit-
nesses may read it, and if any fresh information can
be offered, the stewards will be prepared to receive it.
—Bell's Life.

COPPER TANKS AT ST. HELENA.
Some letters lately appeared in the Times, stating that
the water supplied to the India ships touching at St.
Helena contracted poisonous qualities, by being kept for
a long time in tanks of copper. Some of the passen-
gers and crew of the Moffatt, from Bo:nbay, having
been seized with severe symptoms, and of a suspicious
character, the symptoms were attributed to the water
being poisoned as above. This induced Messrs. Ma-
son and Dawson, the doct6rs professionally attending
one of the parties, to institute an inquiry into the
matter, for which purpose Dr. Venables, of St. Vin-
cent-place, Islington, an eminent physician, well
versed in animal chemistry and toxicology, was re-
quested to undertake and assist in the investigation.
The report is so far satisfactory, inasmuch as it nega-
tives the presence of copper in any form, the analysis
showing that the water did not afford even a trace.
A specimen, taken from an iron tank in which it was
kept on board the vessel, held a large proportion of
peroxide or rust of iron in mechanical diffusion. The
peroxide, it is observed, was evidently derived from
the rusting of the tank, and diffused through the
water when agitated or disturbed. Otherwise it was
found tolerably pure and wholesome, free from any
bad taste or smell, specific gravity 1.0025, slightly
acidulated with carbonic acid, and probably holding
a trace of iron in solution. Some very useful obser-
vations upon the danger of using water kept in copper
vessels follow. Thus it is stated :—Copper is not
readily attacked by pure water, but under the joint
influence of air and moisture it is corroded. By agi-
tation the crust becomes detached, and is diffused
through the water. A fresh portion undergoes the
same process, and by a succession of corrosions, &c.,
the water may become strongly impregnated with a
poisonous form of copper, which, by the agitation of
the water in the casks communicated by the motions
of the ship, will be mechanically diffused, and persons
drinking it almost to a certainty poisoned. During
cooking, too, the insoluble oxide may be rendered so-
luble, and thus converted into a still more active and
speedy poison. Hence the propriety of doing away
with copper tanks, if in use, and their replacement by
others of a less deleterious nature, are strongly urged.
The labours of Dr. Venables and his colleagues are a
public benefit, and highly creditable to their zeal and
, philanthropy.

BELANEL—This notorious character visited this
City within the last few days, for the purpose of proving
the will of his unfortunate wife, in the Consistorial Court
of the Bishop of Durham.—Durham Chronicle.