The Sun.
London, England, 1829-06-19 00:00:00

EXPENSES OF OLD BAILEY PROSECUTIONS.

Sir P. LAURIE gave notice of his intention at the
next Court day, to move for the appointment of a
Committee to ascertain how far it would be prac-
ticable to have two Grand Juries sitting at the same
time during each Sessions, and to report thereon at
the following Court. His reason for doing this was
to obviate the delay and inconvenience that arose at
the Old Bailey in consequence of one Grand Jury
not getting through their bills sufficiently quick ; as
a proof of which he would mention that at the last
Sessions Lord Tenterden was occupied in trying a
trumpery case of stealing an iron pot, there being
no bills brought down from the Grand Jury in those
cases which were of greater importance. This plan
would also diminish the expence of witnesses, who
were frequently, by the contrivance of constables
and others, kept waiting four or five days before the
Grand Jury, whereby the county rate was swelled to
an enormous degree. The expences of the present
Sessions would, he understood, far surpass those of
any preceding Session.
Mr. FLOWER said, those expences were not alto-
gether attributable to the circumstances just men-
tioned. In the late prosecution of the woman Hib-
ner, the sum of one guinea each was allowed by Mr.
Shelton, the clerk of the arraigns, for the loss of
time of the poor workhouse childrrn, who gave evi-
dence against her ! What claim could they possibly
have for loss of time ?—(Hear, hear.)
'1 he conversation dropped, Sir Peter Laurie stat-
ing that when the Committee was appointed he
would state the particulars of his plan.
At the request of the Chairman, the clerk read
the report of the Committee of Accounts, and for
General Purposes. It stated that pursuant to the
directions of a former Court, the Committee had
advertised for, and received tenders for the erection
of a new prison for vagrants, within the boundary
wall of the House of Correction, and that they had
accepted the contract of Messrs. Dixon, of Horse-
ferry-road, their tenders being the lowest. The
sum limited by the Collet was 10,000/., and Messrs,
Dixon had offered to erect it for 8,400/.

The report of the visiting Magistrates of the
House of Correction was then read :-758 prisoners
were confined there on the 12th inst., of whom 10
were in the infirmary ; eight prisoners had died from
natural causes, since the 12th of April. The report
submitted to the Court contained a new set of rules
and regulations for the government of the prison, and
concluded by stating, that in pursuance of an order
of this Court, they had investigated the claims con-
tained in the memorial of Mr. Vickery, the present
Governor, who had tendered his resignation, and re-
commended that a superannuated allowance of 2001.
a-year be paid to him.
The Rev. Dr. OwEN asked upon what principle
they could allow Mr. Vickery a pension of 2001. a
year.
A very long discussion took place upon this sub-
ject, when Mr. HALLS and Mr. Serjeant PELL
stated, that the Act of Parliament only authorized
the county to grant a superannuation allowance to
gaolers and keepers of prisons, not exceeding one-
third of the salary of their successors, and as no
successor had been appointed to Mr. Vickery, and
consequently no salary fixed for the successor, that
part of the report relating to Mr. Vickery's pension
was adjourned for discussion on a future day.
•-It was referred to the Committee, to consider the
propriety of fixing a certain sum as a salary to the
future Governor of the House of Correction, in lieu
j'of all emoluments.

Yesterday evening a most alarming and de-
structive fire broke out in the sugarmanufactory of Messrs.
JACOBS and thrinicn, in Back Church-lane, White-
chapel, which, notwithstanding the utmost exertions of
the firemen of various engines that attended on the first
alarm, and a plentiful supply of water, was completely
burnt to the ground. The damage sustained altogether
amounts to between 7,000/. and 5,000/. It is not
known how the fire originated, but it is imagined that
the overheating of a stove cau►ed the calamity. We
have heard the Fremises were insured, but much below
the damage sustaine4. This is about the seventh or
eighth sugar-house that has fallen a victim to the de-
vouring element within less than two months. Immense
crowds of pickpockets were collected, but their opera-
tions were checked by a strong body of the Lambeth-
street police.

On Wednesday the body of a young female
was discovered lying in the mud of the Thames, nearly Op-
posite the steps on the Surrey side of Waterloo-bridge,
when the tide receded. The body, which was conveyed
to the Waterloo chuff ch, appears not to have been long
mersed in the water, although it would have been a hope-
less task to attempt to restore life by the usual method.
In the course of the day it was ascertained that the de-
ceased had lived in the service of a family in Paradise-
street, Lambeth, and that she left home on the morning of
the (lay she was found drowned, saying that she should be
hack again in a short time. An inquest was held yeater=
day on the body, and evidence was adduced of the girl
having been in a low desponding way for some time pre-
viously; but as to by what cause ber state of mind was
I produced, none of the witnesses were enabled to say. A
verdict of " Found Drowned" was returned,

A DUEL IN THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY.

Amongst a number of masterly passages in
Sir Walter Scott's last novel of " Anne of

Geierstein" is the following spirited description
.. .

of a single combat between the hero of the
piece and a young Bernese :
Having hastily traversed the fields and groves
which separated the Landamman's residence
from the old castle of Geierstein, he entered the

court-yard from the side where the castle over-
looked the land ; and nearly in the same instant
his almost gigantic antagonist, who IbOked yet
more tall and burly by the pale morning light
than he had seemed the preceding evening, ap-
peared ascending from the precarious -bridge
beside the torrent, having reached Glietstein by
a different route from that pursolL, -by the

Englishman.
The young champion of Berne kistd, hanging
along his back one of those huge'-handed
swords, the blade of which measured five feet,

and which were wielded with both hands. These

were almost universally used by the Swiss; for,
besides the impression which such weapons were
calculated to make upon the array of the German
men-at-arms, whose armour was impenetrable to
lighter swords, they were also well calculated to
defend mountain passes, where the great bodily
strength and agility of those who bore them,
enabled the combatants, in spite of their weight
and length, to use them with much address and
effect. One of these gigantic swords hung
around Rudolf Donnerhugel's neck, the point
rattling against his heel, and the handle extend-
ing itself over his left shoulder, considerably above
his head. He carried another in his hand.

" Thou are punctual," he called out to
Arthur Philipson, in a voice which was distinctly
heard above the roar of the waterfall, which it
seemed to rival in sullen force. " But I judged
thou wouldst come without a two-handed sword.
There is my kinsman Ernest's," he said, throw-
ing on the ground the weapon whieh he carried,
with the hilt towards the young Englishman.—
" Look stranger that thou disgrace it not, for my
kinsman will never forgive me it thou dost. Or
thou mayst have mine if thou likest it better."
The Englishman looked at the weapon with
some surprise, to the use of which he was totally
unaccustomed.
" The challenger," he said, " in all countries
where honour is known, accepts the terms of the
challenged."
" He who fights on a Swiss mountain, fights
with a Swiss brand," answered Rudolf. " Think
you our hands are made to handle penknives?"
" Nor are ours made to wield scythes," said
Arthur ; and puttered betwixt his teeth, as he
looked at the sword, which the Swiss continued
to offer him—" Usam .non habeo, I have not
proved the weapon."
" Do you repent the bargain you have made ?"
said the Swiss ; " if so, cry craven, and return
in safety. Speak plainly, instead of prattling
Latin like a clerk or a shaven monk."
" No, proud man," replied the Englishman,
" I ask thee no forbearance. I thought but of
a combat between a shepherd and a giant, in
which God gave the victory to him who had
worse odds of weapons than falls to my lot to-
day. I will fight as I stand ; my own good
sword shall serve my need now, as it has done
before."
" Content !—But blame me not, who offered
the equality of weapons," said the mountaineer.
" And now hear me. This is a fight for life or
death—yon waterfall sounds the alarm for our
conflict. Yes, old bellower," he continued,
looking back, " it is long since thou hast heard
the noise of battle ; and look at it ere we begin,
stranger, for if you fall, I commit your body to
its waters."
" And if thou fall'st, proud Swiss," answered
Arthur, " as well thy presumption leads to de-
struction, I will have thee buried in the Church
at Einsiedlen, where the Priest shall say masses
for thy soul—thy two-handed sword shall be
displayed above thy grave, and a scroll shall tell
the passenger, Here lies a bear's cub of Berne,
slain by Arthur the Englishman."
" The stone is not in Switzerland, rocky as
it is," said Rudolf scornfully, " that shall bear
that inscription. Prepare thyself for battle."
The Englishman cast a calm and deliberate
glance around the scene of action—a court-yard,
partly open, partly encumbered with ruins, in
less and larger masses.
" Methinks," said he to himself, " a master of
his weapon, with the instructions of Bottaferma
of Florence in his remembrance, a light heart, a
good blade, a firm hand, and a just cause, might
make up a worse odds than two feet of steel."
Thinking thus, and imprinting on his mind,
as much as the time would permit, every circum-
stance of the locality around him which promised
advantage in the combat, and taking his station
in the middle of the court-yard where the ground
was entirely clear, he flung his cloak from him,
and drew his sword.
Rudolf had at first believed that his foreign
antagonist was an effeminate youth, who would
be swept before him at the first flourish of his
tremendous weapon. But the firm and watchful
attitude assumed by the young man, reminded
the Swiss of the deficiencies of his own un-
wieldy implement, and made him determine to
avoid any precipitation which might give an ad-
vantage to an enemy who seemed both daring
and vigilant. He unsheathed his huge sword,
by drawing it over the left shoulder, an operation
which required some little-time, and might have
offered formidable advantage to his antagonist,
had Arthur's sense of honour permitted him to
begin the attack ere it was completed. The
Englishman remained firm, however, until the
Swiss, displaying his bright brand to the morn-
ing sun, made three or four flourishes as if to
prove its weight, and the facility with which he
wielded it—then stood firm within sword-stroke
of his adversary, grasping his weapon with both
hands, and advancing it a little before his body,
with the blade pointed straight upwards. ^ The
Englishman, on the contrary, carried his sword
in one hand, holding it across his face in a hori-
zontal position, so as to be at once ready to
strike, thrust, or parry.
Englishman !" said the Switzer,
after they confronted each other in this man-
ner for about a minute.
e'r S
tireik
" The longest sword should strike first," said
tl
Arthur ; and the words had not left his mouth
when the Swiss sword arose, and descended with
a rapidity which, the weight and size of the
weapon considered, appeared portentous. No
parry, however dexterously interposed, could
have baffled the ruinous descent of that dread-
ful weapon, by which the champion of Berne
had hoped at once to begin the battle and end
it. But young Philipson had not ovei.estitnated
the justice of his own eye, or the activity of his
limbs. Ere the blade descended, a sudden
spring to one side carried him from beneath its
heavy sway, and before the Swiss could again
raise his sword aloft he received a wound, though
a slight one, on the left arm. Irritated at the

failure and at the wound, the Switzer heaved UP
his sword once more, and availing himself of is
strength corresponding to his size, he discharr
towards his adversary, a succession of blobot
downright, athwart, horizontal, and from left t°
right, with such surprising strength and veto*
that it required all the address of the young
Englishman, by parrying, shifting, eluding, .°1
retreating, to evade a storm, of which every 111,.;
dividual blow seemed sufficient to cleave a so!'
rock. The Englishman was compelled to gio
' ground now backwards, now swerving to the
one side or the other, now availing himself of the
fragments of the ruins, but watching all thet
while, with the utmost composure, the woment
when the strength of his enraged enemy fur,
become somewhat exhausted, or when, by so*
improvident or furious blow he might again lalf
himself open to a close attack. The latter °
these advantages had nearly occurred, for, in 6e
,
middle of his headlong charge, the Switte
stumbled over a large stone concealed among w
long grass, and ere he could recover himself, re:o
ceived a severe blow across the head from Il
antagonist. It lighted upon his bonnet, tPe
lining of which inclosed a small steel cap, 6°
that he escaped unwounded, and springing
renewed the battle with unabated fury, thou
it seemed to the young Englishman with breo:,
somewhat short, and blows dealt with ow'

caution.
They were still contending with equal Albr
tune, when a stern voice, rising over the chn
of swords, as well as the roar "of waters, Calir,
out in a commanding tone, On your liva7
forbear !"