The Sun.
London, England, 1845-11-12 00:00:00

?RE- TS ITN,' L-0 ND ON, wED NIES DA Y EVENnING,

COURT OF EXCISE-YESTERDAY
(sWore the Hon. Captain PERCY, T. HARRISON, Esq., and
C. J. HERRIES, Esq.)
EXTENSIVE SEIZURE OF ADULTERATED TOBACCO.
George Crofton and Abraham Crofton, of No. 61, Bartholo-
mew-close, Smithfield, tobacco manufacturers, were charged,
upon information, with manufacturing, and having in their
possession, tobacco adulterated with alkaline salts, contrary
to the late Act for the regulation of tobacco manufacturers,
which provides that nothing but pure water shall be used in
the manufacture of tobacco. _

More than half a ton of the tobacco had been seized, and
the case was looked forward to with considerable interest.
The defendants had given notice that they would defend
the case by counsel, and it was believed Mr. Clarkson had
been retained by them, but on the case being called on this
day neither counsel, solicitors, nor defendants appeared. The
usual notices having been proved, the following evidence was
taken.

Mr. Austin, surveying examiner general of Excise, said he
visited the manufactory of the defendants on the 9th of
Augast last, accompanied by Messrs. Smith and Phillips,
also officers of Excise. He examined the whole of the pre-
mises. In a small room he found several women stripping
tobacco. A large quantity of the leaf was lying on the floor,
and some of it was quite wet. He was induced to taste it,
and found it exceedingly salt, with a solution also of lime.
He also found in the room two pails' full of a liquid solu-
tion, and, upon tasting it, pronounced it to be that of
common salt. Upon seeing the foreman he questioned
him as to whether he was the person who superintended
the business of that establishment, and was answered in
the affirmative. Witness then asked him whether the
tobacco he saw damped down was to be sold for
tobacco or snuff, and was told for tho best returns Wit-
ness then asked him to taste the solution in the pails, which
he did, and said that he did not taste anything the matter
with it. Upon inquiring for the proprietors, the foreman
said he would send for them ; and, upon Mr. George Crofton
coming in, witness directed his attention to the tobacco on
the floor and to the contents of the pails, and asked him
whether he considered that the contents of the latter were
salt ? " Salt !" said Mr. Crofton, "no;if it is salt it must
have come from the pump so." He tasted the water from
the pump, and found it perfectly pure. Beside the pump, in
a pail, he found a solution like brine, and asked Mr. Crofton
what it was for? Mr. Crofton replied, "It was for the
tobacco ; it was useless saying it was for snuff, as they must
know it was for tobacco." He then seized the stock of
tobacco, and conveyed it to the chief office of the Excise
department. The following day he submitted four samples
to Mr. George Phillips, practical chemist to the Board of
Excise, for analysation.
Mr. George Phillips, professor of chemistry, said that he
received four samples of tobacco from the last witness, which
he had submitted to various tests of analysation. One of the
samples of the damped leaf he found adulterated to the extent
of 13.67 per cent. with common salt ; a sample, No. 2, of leaf,
5.41 of salt; the first pail of solution contained 3.75, and the
pail No. 2, 19.80 per cent. of adulteration. The other tobacco
found on the premises was of a very pure character.
Mr. Davis proved that the defendants were entered manu-
facturers of tobacco, and were so on the 9th of August last.
An entry to that effect was made in his survey-book.
The COURT ordered the whole of the seizure to be con-
demned, which is equal to a penalty of nearly 2001.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
BO W-STREET.

Peter Battie, a foreigner, was brought up for further exa-
mination on the charge Of having violated three little girls
under twelve years of age, at his lodgings in Newman-street,
Oxford-street.
He was defended by Mr. O'Brien, who cross-examined
the witnesses at great length, in order to show that there
were some grounds for the suspicion that the parents of the
children had offered tohush the matter up for a consideration.
The prisoner had written a letter to one of the parties, re-
lating to the charge, which was considerably strengthened by
its production by the officer, Pocock.
He was fully committed for trial.
A cab-driver, named George Hull, was brought up by war-
rant (having failed to attend upon a summons), to answer
the charge of having behaved in an insolent manner to Mr.
Albany Fonblanque, of 48, Connaught-square.
The complainant stated that he had occasion to call upon
Mr. Pavey, of 47, Holywell-street, Strand, on the Ist of
November, and while standing before the door (being him-
self on horseback) the defendant drove up behind him. The
narrowness of that part of the street prevented his passing,
and deponent consequently asked him to wait a moment
until he had addressed a few words to Mr. Pavey, with whom
he was 'anxious to make an appointment for another day.
The defendant, however, abused bim in impertinent language,
and, although no one was in his cab, persisted in driving
forward. Mr. Fonblanque was compelled to submit, in order
to prevent an accident either to his horse or to himself, aad
was accordingly driven to the end of the street in front of
the defendant's cab.
Mr. pavey corroborated this evidence.
The defendant expressed his contrition for the offence, at
the same time urging that he used no offensive language to
Mr. Fonblanque, whom he thought was intending to proceed
forward. He appealed to the constables of the division to
testify to the respectability of his character.
Mr. JARDINE thought that the conduct of the defendant
was clearly such as to render him amenable to the Act, his
apparent contrition being the only circumstance in his favour.
His Worship fined him 10s., or ten days' imprisonment, in
default of non-payment.
WORSHIP-STREET.
A Jew, named Hyam Abrahams, was placed at the bar
before Mr. Bingham, charged with having, by the following
artful scheme, obtained the sum of 31. ss. from Mr. Simon
Lazarus, a general dealer at Mile-end:—
The prosecutor stated that about a month ago the pri-
soner, with whom he had had some previous business trans-
actions, called at his house and stated that he was acquainted
with a tradesman who had for sale a large quantity of gold
washings from picture-frames, for which he demanded only
31. 55., and that if witness would advance that amount they
would divide between them the profits, which he knew to be
considerable, as he had had numerous transactions of a si-
milar kind before, and they had always turned out excellent
speculations. Witness reluctantly acceded to the proposi-
tion, and the prisoner conducted him to the house of a pic-
ture-frame maker, named Moseley, in Leonard-street, Shore-
ditch, from whom he received a jar containing the supposed
gold washings, for which he paid the 31.55., at the request
of the prisoner, and took it away with him. On the
following day he sent the jar to Mr. Cyrill, a gold
refiner in Barbican, to have its contents melted, and on call-
ing afterwards for his golden deposit, he was informed by
the refiner that it was a mere compound of worthless rub-
bish,
and that there was not a particle of gold in the whole
mass. He immediately went in search of the prisoner, who,
upon being apprised of the result, expressed great astonish-
ment and indignation at the imposition which had been
practised upon them, and at once proceeded with him to the
house of Moseley, to whom he abruptly intimated that
unless he produced the person from whom he had received
the spurious article they should expect their money to be
returned. Moseley appeared completely astounded at such
an announcement, but promised to see the prisoner further
upon the subject, and they accordingly went away; but all
his subsequent efforts to meet with the prisoner having
been unsuccessful, the witness went alone to the shop of
Moseley, and was then informed, to his great surprise, that
the prisoner himself was the person who had left the jar of
spurious gold under the care of Moseley, with directions
to deliver it to the witness, and to receive the money for
him which the witness paid for it, and which money he
had subsequently paid to the prisoner. On being apprised
of these facts witness gave immediate information of them
to -the police, and the prisoner was ultimately taken into
custody.
In cross-examination by Mr. Vann, who appeared for the
defence, the witness admitted that he had received from
Moseley a written engagement to refund the amount, but said
that Moseley had since, under the advice of his solicitor, re-
fused to fulfil its conditions.
Mr. Moseley proved that the jar and its contents had been
left with him by the prisoner under the circumstances de-
scribed, and that the latter had afterwards called on him,
and received the money the prosecutor had paid for them.
The witness disavowed all knowledge or participation in the
fraudulent part of the transaction, and declared that he had
only been induced to give the undertaking referred to from
an apprehension that he might be himself involved in the
charge.
Mr. Vann contended that the prosecutor's acceptance of
Moseley's promise of indemnification amounted to a condo-
nation of the alleged fraud, and effectually precluded any
criminal proceedings.
Mr. Heritage, on the other side, submitted that no ar-
rangement the prosecutor might have made with. third par-
ties could-- shield the prisoner from the results of his own
fraudulent conduct, which had been more than sufficiently
proved to justify a commitment.
Mr. BisiGliax was clearly of opinion that a prima fade
case of fraud had been established against the prisoner, and
therefore called upon him to find substantial bail to appear
on a future day, that the requisite formal evidence might be
produced for the completion of the cane.
LAMBS TAI,

.
Mr. Keene, the Governor of Horsemonger lane Prison,
waited upon Mr. Narton, to inform him of the suicide, during
the preceding night, of Thomas M'Namara, a prisoner under
his care, who had been sent there on the evening before by
the Iron. Magistrate.
It will be recollected that APNamara, who had been in
custody since the Ist inst., had been re-examined on Monday,
on a charge of inflicting as many as twelve or thirteen wounds
upon the person of his wife. The wife attended and gave
her evidence upon the occasion, and upon her own showing,
it was evident she was a person of the most profligate habits,
having left her husband three different times to live with
different men. The accused, notwithstanding her scandalous
conduct, was much attached to her, and sent a friend to
bring her back from Tunbridge-wells, were she was living in
adultery with the last person she left home with. On the
night after her return, she declared her intention to rejoin
her paramour, and her husband in his rage and jealousy, and
being also much intoxicated at the time, inflicted twelve or
thirteen wounds with a sharp instrument upon different parts
of her person. The offence, notwithstanding the strong pro-
vocation, was of so serious a character, that Mr. Norton felt it
to be his duty to send the prisoner for trial, and the evidence
of all the witnesses in attendance being taken, the prisoner
was remanded until Fridavnext, and was sent off by the van
to Horsemonger-lane Gaol.
Mr. Keene said the prisoner had been removed from this
Court with the second batch of prisoners, and was conveyed
to his cell. He was subsequently. supplied with bread and
gruel for his supper, and there being nothing in his demea •
nouror manner to excite the least suspicion, he was locked up
in his cell at eight o'clock, agreeable to the gaol regulation.
Yesterday morning, on the turnkey unlocking the cell door,
he found the unfortunate man suspended by his handkerchief
from one of the bars of the cell window. Medical assistance
was promptly in attendance, but it was found that the body
was quite cold, and that life had been extinct for several hours.
Mr. Keene added that the unfortunate man had drunk the
gruel and eat a portion of the bread, but had not gone to bed.
Mr. NORTON, who appeared evidently affected at the fate
of the wretched man,remarked that he did not observe any-
thing whatever in the manner of the prisoner, vi lien before
him, to lead to the slightest suspicion or apprehension that he
meditated the act of self-destruction.
Mr. Keene said,
the Prison Act required him, in all cases of
suicide in his prison, to communicate the fact personally to
the nearest relation of the deceased, where it was practicable,
and as the wife was in the present case the nearest relative, he
requested her address, that lie might see and communicate to
her the fate of her unfortunate husband.
The address of the
profligate wife was supplied to Mr.
Keene, and he left the Court for the purpose he had stated.
Cock, the gaoler attached to the Court, informed the Ma-
gistrate that though
M'Namara was somewhat affected while
his wife was giving her evidence against him, he (Cook) felt
quite certain he did not intend to commit suicide when leav-
ing for Horsemonger-lane Gaol on Monday. His (Cook's)
reason for being so certain was this, that he requested to be
permitted to take with him to prison a loaf of bread to last
him, with his allowance, until he was brought up again on
Friday.

Mr: NORTON admitted that this was a circumstance which
warranted the gaoler in the eonelubions he had drawn, and
strongly favoured the belief that the act of self-destruction
had not been premeditated.

THAMES.
4,lnut half-past twelyo o'clock yelitMlN't Ur. clarkoon,

the barrister, entered the Court, and, apologising for
the imperfect statement which he was about to make,
said he was anxious as .early as possible to ap-
prise the sitting magistrate (Mr. Broderip) of some facts
of which he (Mr. Clarkson) was just informed, and
which perhaps before the close of the day would be
brought under the cognizance of this Court :—The im-
portance of the case would, he was sure, excuse the abrupt
manner in which it was introduced. The facts were simply
these :—The crew of the Tory, while on her homeward
voyage from Hong-Kong, rose on the captain, and in a pira-
tical manner attempted to seize and carry off the vessel, but
though the attempt was frustrated, more than one murder
had been the result, and the present application was to have
officers in attendance to take the prisoners into custody
mediately on the arrival of the Tory in the river.
Mr. BRODERIP—Then I am to understand that there is no
person yet in custody on this most serious charge ?
Mr. Clarkson—No, Sir. I have not made myself clear.
Some of the parties are in irons on board the vessel, which
is now on its way from Deal, and hourly expected in the
river. As lam informed, she is a vessel of 608 tons, com-
manded by a Captain Johnstone, and having a crew of 30
men. The act of piracy was attempted whilst she was off
Ascension Island, when the crew, headed by the mate, rose
upon the captain, threatening to take his life and possess
themselves of the ship. The mutiny had extended to
such a degree, and the project was so far ripened, that only
two or three of the hands stuck by the captain, and the
determination of the mutineers was to great hat it was
found impossible to foil their intent without several
serious acts of violence. 'When it was repressed, the
mate, anticipating the consequences of his attempt, seized
the first opportunity which offered, and jumped overboard.
A man, named Mars, who had been one of the first to
join in the mutiny, repented of his conduct, and exposed
the whole plot to the captain, on which the other muti-
neers brutally murdered him. Another man, named Rea-
sons, who had also given information to the captain, died
suddenly, and, as it was supposed from the symptoms, by
having poison administered to him. On arriving at Deal,
the captain applied to the authorities there, and assistance
was afforded to put the refractory parties in irons. Apolo-
gising again for his hasty and imperfect statement, the
Learned Gentleman repeated his request that some officers
should be directed to look out for the arrival of the vessel,
as she was hourly expected, and it was highly probable that
the master, together with the owner, Mr. Duncan Gibb, of
Liverpool, would be in attendance, and enter into fuller de-
tails of the events which had taken place.
Mr. BRODERIP said the Learned Gentleman had stated the
dreadful circumstances with sufficient clearness to awaken
the utmost attention. He (Mr. Broderip) had not the di-
rection of the police force, but he was sure that on the
slightest intimation to the river police the most active steps
would be taken, and every facility afforded.
Mr. Clarkson then read the following letter, addressed H.
H. Lindsay, Esq., East India Chambers, Leadenhall-street,
London :

" Deal, Nov. P.
"Sir,—You will have heard by this time of the horrid and un-
precedented mutiny on board the ship Tory, belonging to Mr.
Duncan Gibbs, of Liverpool, on her voyage from Hong-Kong to
London, in which three lives have been sacrificed—vi s , the first
and second mate, and one seaman. We now write to you
by desire of Captain Johnstone to say that the ship has
arrived in the Downs, with three of her crew in irons, ar.d a strong
guard of a revenue cutter on board, the other portion of the crew
being still in a mutinous state. We have consulted with the Com.
mander of the Coast Guard here, as well as with the magistrates,
and it has been thought the better course to place the remainder of
the crew (seven ir: number) under arrest, the whole of them being
more or less connected with the mutiny, to keep guard over them
on board, and to hire men to work the ship up to London, taking
the first opportunity of engaging a steamer. We thought this
course better than landing the men here and having them taken
before the magistrates, which would necessarily cause a detention
of the captain and probably the ship. We hope the Tory will pro-
ceed early to-morrow for the River. Captain Johnstone has, under
our advice, noted his protest, and we trust you will consider we
have taken the best and most prompt measures under the unfortu-
nate circumstances of this case. We write you hurriedly to save
post.—We are, Sir, your most obedient,
"GOD WIN, CURLING, and Co.,
" Agents to the Liverpool Association of Underwriters."
Mr. BRODERIP said he had no doubt that it the case had
been taken before the Magistrates at Deal they would have
given it the consideration which its importance deserved.
With that, however, he had nothing to do; but if it were
brought within his jurisdiction it would command the utmost
attention.

Mr. Clarkson was quite satisfied on that point, and he was
happy to think that a case of such importance would be
heard at a tribunal so peculiarly competent to take it into
consideration.

The Learned Gentleman then left, with the understanding
that if the Tory arrived in the river in the interval the per-
sons charged would be brought up for primary examination
this day.
The excitement occasioned by the application was most in-
tense, and the result of the inquiry is looked forward to with
the deepest interest. When a judicial investigation is se close
at hand, it would be highly injudicious to give publicity to
the vague and contradictory rumours which are afloat upon
the subject.

MONEY MARKET and CITY NEWS.
CITY, TUESDAY EVENING.
TIMM—The premium on gold at Paris is 11i per
milk which, at the English Mint price of 31. 17s.
IOW! per ounce for standard gold, gives an exchange of
25 44 ; and the exchange at Paris on London at short being
25 57k, it follows that gold is 0.53 per cent. dearer in London
than in Paris.

By advices from Hamburgh, the price of gold is 4301
per mark, which, at the English Mint, price of 31. 17s.
10d. per ounce for standard gold, gives an exchange
of 13 84 ; and the exchange at Hamburgh on London at
short being 13 9i, it follows that gold is 0.35 per cent.
dearer in London than in Hamburgh.
One of the leading features of railway enterprise, which is
manifesting itself at .this moment with an extraordinary de-
gree of activity, is the employment of the vast numbers of
persons who have any pretension to be called members of the
surveying and engineering professions in the preparations
for the 30th instant, when the plans, sections, and
books of reference must be ready for deposit with the
clerk of the peace. All of them receive the most liberal or
extravagant pay, and the merest novices receive engage-
ments, for which they throw up, with or without the consent
of their principals, their regular employment, and nearly all
ordinary and routine business is at a stand. Of the extent of
occupation which has devolved upon these professions in con-
sequence of the prevailing excitement, some idea may be ob-
tained from the usefhl statistical tables published in the
Railway .Almanaek for 1846 ; and, as really eminent men are
not numerous in those departments of professional skill, it
necessarily follows that the whole work is in comparatively
few hands. From these tables it appears that one engineer
is engaged on 11 of the new lines, another on 14, a third on
16, a fourth on 17, and a fifth on 21 lines. The
same may be, and no doubt are, engaged on other
lines ; for many of those on the list have no en-
gineer's name attached to them, and it may be
safely assumed that the execution in a proper
manner of such a quantity of work is beyond human
power. This is not labour, it should be observed, which will
admit of careless or imperfect execution. The fate of the
Cambridge and Lincoln line last session, the Bill for which
was lost in consequence of a mere clerical error connected
with the surveys, shows how important it is to the success of
a new line that they should be made with the utmost care
and accuracy. Men of honour will, doubtless, in many cases
throw up their engagements, under such a total impossi-
bility of execution, and this to many of the new companies
will furnish at the same time a decent excuse for withdraw-
ing altogether, when they could not otherwise have devised
one. Letters from the northern counties, received in the
City this morning,:describe the activity and excitement as
universal, with regard to the engineering and mapping move-
ment; and notice is especially taken of'the class of persons
who are so employed, one letter remarking that "lads
who have only just left school are permitted to take
particulars which require experience in some of the
nicest questions of real property." It may easily be antici-
pated what a figure some of them will make when the time
for the great ordeal arrives. The death of Mr. Irving is an
event which belongs to the history of the commerce of Lon-
don, and it has formed to-day one of the principal topics
on 'Change. For honourable conduct, strict fidelity to his
engagements under the most adverse circumstances, and for
a kind disposition to those who have had their way to make
in the world, he has had few equals in mercantile life. The
importance of the house of which he has been so many years
a partner is well known. Their transactions have extended
to all parts of the world, though they have lain more par-
ticularly in the West Indies. Mr. Irving was a stanch sup-
porter of the colonial interests, and took the lead in forming
the Colonial Bank and Royal Steam-packet Companies.
More than once he received the thanks of the inhabitants
of Mauritius for his attention to their welfare. For nearly
forty years he was a Member of the House of Commons,
where he sat for the last two Parliaments as representative
of the county of Antrim. In politics he was a steady and
consistent Conservative. His loss is as much regretted by
his private friends as it is by those who, during a long
course of years, have had business to transact with him.
HERALD.—The approach of the period for the with-
drawal of the fractional notes for 255. and 305., now in cir•
culation in Ireland, is likely to be attended with some unto-
ward consequences, which could not have been anticipated
by the framers of the measure to abolish notes of these de-
nominations. The circumstances strikingly illustrate the
state of society in many parts of that benighted county.
The poorer class of occupiers, who are the principal holders
of the fractional notes, have become alarmed, under the im-
pression that they will be of no value after the 6th of De-
cember next, when the new banking law comes into opera-
tion. In the south and west of .the kingdom these frac-
tional notes have been presented at the banks for payment
in considerable quanties, and a smart run has been felt,
principally for silver, and even the bank of the great Agi-
tator has not escaped the effect of the popular delusion on
the subject. All persons acquainted with the character
of the Irish peasantry are aware how easily they are
misled in matters connected with the paper circula-
tion, and will readily comprehend how they . have come
under the influence of a panic without any just ground. From
what we have learned, the Irish press has been negligent in
not setting the people right on the subject without a moment's
delay, land the more especially at a time like the present.
when the reports about the potato disease will have rendered
the people more than usually susceptible to bad impressions.
The'commercial letters received by the West India mail
were dalivered this morning, but they contain few details of
much interest in addition to the extracts which appeared in
the Herald this morning. All parties writing to their con-
signees dwell chiefly on the subject of railways, and no doubt
seemed to be entertained; even by the most sceptical, but
that, if judiciously constructed, they will afford a remune-
rating return on the capital invested, as well as be of incal-
culable benefit to the colonies by promoting improvement.
The merchants connected with Mexico are at length gra-
tified with the account of the settlement of'the tariff, which
they consider will give no inconsiderable stimulus to trade,
if the executive Government has sufficient strength and
energy to carry it out in good faith. Much, however, re-
quires to be done to check the oppressions and peculations of
the subordinate officers of the Customs, who were thoroughly
corrupted under Santa Anna's regime.
The official account of the Committee of South American
bondholders states that the receipts by the packet, on account
of the Mexican dividend, amount to 80,895 dollars. The in-
tentions of the present Government are undoubtedly honour-
able, and all that appears requisite is that they be supported
by the country. There are, however, still latent fears that
the partisans of Santa Anna are intriguing to excite dis-
turbance.

HEALTH OF Towns. —A preliminary meeting was
held at the Collimate-room of the Town-hall on Thursday,
for the purpose of considering the expediency of forming a
Company, to be called "The Devonport Water and Sewer-
age Company," for carrying out, in connexion with Lord
Francis Egerton's " Water Supply, Drainage, and Towns'
Improvement Company," the chief recommendations of her
Majesty's Commissioners of Inquiry on the means of im-
proving the health of large towns, by securing an improved
and more economical supply of water; an efficient street
and house drainage; the removal of all refuse, and its appli-
cation to the increase of agricultural production. A variety
of useful information on the subject was afforded the meeting
by the town clerk, and eventually a resolution passed 411111M-
rising the formation of -4
provisional committee.--Dgonport
Independent,