The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-01 00:00:00

suit of the experiment in England should have been
ascertained.
The House then resolved itself into a Committee of
Supply, and Mr. CORRY brought forward the Navy
Estimates.

Mr. WAKLEY, who had a motion on the paper on
the subject of the opening of Mr. T. DUNCOMBE'S
letters, was absent when the motion was put ; he
shortly after entered the House, anti made an ineffec-
tual attempt to induce the House to resume, in order
to enable him to bring forward his motion.
The Navy Estimates occupied the House the re-
mainder of the evening.

There is no subject on which we have felt for some
time past a more painful anxiety than the alarming
increase of criminal atrocities. We concur with an
able Contemporary in the strong opinion he has ex-
pressed that this increase must be mainly attributable
to the comparative impunity with which—owing to
the inexplicable charges of judges, and the astound-
ing verdicts of juries, in some very remarkable cases
of modern date,—evil-disposed men have been led to
conclude that they might perpetrate their most malig-
nant purposes. A large proportion of our readers
may recollect the case of a ruffian (resident in White-
chapel), who, some 15 years ago, deliberately exe-
cuted a threat he had uttered,,of cutting off the head
of his own illegitimate and infant child with a carv-
ing-knife. The brutal murder was perpetrated in
the presence, if we rightly remember, of the infant's
own mother. It was distinctly proved in every par-
ticular ; but, after the evidence had been gone
through, an objection that had been taken by the
wretch's counsel to the indictment, which charged
the murder as having been committed on an infant
named " Joss," whereas it was proved that, though
the deceased might have been known by that name
to the witnesses, it had been christened by another, as
appeared from the parish register produced, this ob-
jection was held to be fatal. The jury, in that case,
returned a verdict of "Not Guilty." The fellow was
borne about the neighbourhood of the locality in
triumph by some of his brutal companions, and then
openly threatened the lives of the unfortunate mother
and of the other witnesses against him.
The neighbourhood was kept for two or three days
in a condition of alarm and excitement, and the con-
stabulary seemed to be paralised, until the undoubted,
though acquitted murderer, having, in the intempe-
rance of his conduct, after so unlooked-for an escape,
committed some other, but less sanguinary outrage,
was again apprehended, tried, and sent to prison
under his sentence. Now that case was the imme-
diate precursor of a continued series of murders and
attempts at murder, accompanied with maiming and
violence, such as had been of very rare occurrence,
prior to the monstrous acquittal of that delinquent.
For many months past, by a similar imitative tend-
ency in crime, the notoriety attaching to some equally
remarkable trials for murder, in which the delin-
quents arraigned have escaped conviction, contrary to
all public expectation, and to the universal construction
put, beyond the walls of the Court, upon the evidence
delivered within it at such trials. We shall never
feel any delicacy about reiterating the expression of
astonishment, and something more, with which the ver-
dict of the jury who tried, not long ago, a man charged
with the murder of his wife by administering to her
prussic acid, was received by the universal British public.
There is not a Court of law in this kingdom or in
Europe in which that detested person could recover
a verdict of damages against any one who should de-
nounce him, by name, as an escaped but not the less a
guilty, cowardly, ungrateful, and inexcusable mur-
derer. His guilt was so transparent that even in this
country, where more than in any other of the civilized
world the majesty of the law is upheld, and its deci-
sions are implicitly respected, the community of all
ranks expressed their amazement and indignation at
his escape. And this feeling has continued, subse-
quently, so intense, that wherever this undoomed
criminal, after having the effrontery to show himself
in open day-light, is recognized, in whatever part of
the king(lum, neither his person nor his property is
respected. He seems destined from time to time to
pass through narrow escapes from a retributive but
still more terrible fate, under that ban of so-
ciety which is yet more fearful than the
ban of the law. But the material fact of his legal
acquittal remains, in the meanwhile, unaltered ; its
moral influence has frightfully developed itself in the
otherwise unaccountable number of crimes, in which
the modus oxrandi is more or less borrowed from
the prototype afforded by the acquitted delinquent.
To an extent unknown before in England, the crime
of murder has lately prevailed; the visibly greater
proportion of these murders has been effected by
poison ; and of the victims the larger number have
been females. It is really impossible, as it seems to
us, to disconnect this growing propensity to the com-
mission of a particular crime—in a particular man-
ner—after the specific precedent of a given example
—with the fatal impunity which attached to the me-
morable case we have above adverted to.
We have, on all occasions, consistently advocated
mercy in the administration of the law, and are
strongly disposed to uphold the expediency of miti-
gating, in many cases, still further the severity of
our criminal code. But our sympathies do not ex-
tend either to such a case as we have been painfully
compelled to dwell upon, or even to the recent con-
viction under which TAwELL has expiated his guilt
by an ignominious end. Whilst the law for the
repression of such dangerous crimes, so facile of per-
petration, so fatal to the unsuspecting confidence of
affection and social intercourse remains what it is,--
what we are still disposed to think it ought to be,—
the true mercy in judges in charging juries,—the
true and conscientious discharge by jurors of their sa-
cred duty—will consist in a fair unbiassed statement
of the law of the case on the one part, and an honest
appreciation of the evidence on the other—will do
more than the usual and salutary merciful qualifica-
tion of giving the accused the benefit of any reason-
able doubt. But we could name half-a-dozen cases at
least, within less than three times as many months, in
which, under some strange and morbid excitement,
and we will say against the weight of evidence,
against all rules of fair construction, against all legal
presumption,—culprits at the bar have been acquitted
of charges of poisoning, on whose behalf neither the
most acute legal subtilty, nor the most extreme be-
nevolence, could have suggested their innocence of the
delinquencies imputed to them. It is high time that
this unwholesome laxity in some judicial charges, to
which we will not more particularly allude, and in
many verdicts given under them, should be reformed.
Otherwise we may expect that the torrent of crimes
that has lately set in upon us, will overwhelm the
character of the people with disgrace. We hope and
believe that the last recorded verdict and its conse-
quences will not be without their beneficia4 results to
the security of society. _

Swiss journals of the 27th ult. have been received.
Affairs continue in a very unsettled state, and one of the
papers, the Federal Gazette, announces that Austria
proposes a blockade of Switzerland by occupying the
Principalities of Lietenstein and the frontiers of the Gri-
sons. At Schwytz two battalions of contingents had
been called ; General SONNEBERG, appointed to the com-
mand of the Lucerne troops, had withdrawn his resigna-
tion, and on the 27th the Executive Coutril of Zurich
had assembled, in order to make preparations for antici-
pated contingencies. The meeting of the Council h, d
been summoned chiefly on the receipt of dispatches from
Lucerne, hut the result of their deliberations had not
transpired.

The accounts from Madrid aro to the 24th tilt. The
marriage of the QUEEN with the Count TRAPANI causes
much pxeitement among the Carlists, who, it is said, are
organising themselves in Catalonia and the Basque pro-
vinces, to prevent a result which would destroy all their
hopes. No doubt however remains that the marriage
has been arranged, and that the King of NAPLES has
gone to Rome to give his sanction to it. The KING,
accompanied by the QUEEN, arrived there on the 17th.
On the 24th, being Easter Monday, the Madrid Bourse
was closed.

Most of the Paris journals advert .to the last intelli-
gence from America, and especially to the vote of the
Senate for the annexation of Texas, but their remarks
are very brief, and, with the exception of the sentiments
expressed by the Journal des Debati on the horrors of
slavery, are without interest. After quoting the claims
put forward by Mr. PoIA to Texas, on the ground of
previous occupation, that journal observes :—" It is a
peaceful acquisition, says the President ; but after all it
is not so peaceable, for the citizens of the United States
who have taken possession of Texas entered that terri-
tory with arras in their bands, and it was with cannon
that they vanquished the unfortunate President of

Mexico at San Jacinto, when he expressed a doubt
whether Texas was from all eternity the property
of the federal union, or was one of his own lost chil-
dren. Mr. PoLx cannot be ignorant of the fact. The
invasion of Texas by the Anglo-Americans is odious to
Europe on account of the slavery which it draws in its
train. As long as he do's not reply to the repugnance
on the part of Europe, his arguments lead to false con-
clusions. But he does not even allude to them. In
reading the Message one would think that slavery was
unknown on the soil of the United States, which, how-
ever, allows itself to be more degraded by that stain on
humanity than all the other nations in the world. One
is even astonished to find such phrases as this, that all
the

distinctions of birth and of rank there are abolished.
We must not, however, deceive ourselves. The spoliation
inflicted upon Mexico by the incorporation of Texas,
however reprehensible it may be, might perhaps pass
unnoticed ; but the systematic, audacious propagation
of an institution so execrable as slavery, is a crime
against civilization, for which the United States will
never be pardoned."
The proposed grant for mounting the fortifications of
Paris with artillery still occupies the Opposition jour,
nals, and the discussion on the subject is looked for with
much interest by all parties. A private meeting of the
Opposition, it is.said, has been held to decide what course
they should pursue in the Chamber. It was attended by
MM. TIMERS, BARROT, and other leaders. M. TIMERS
was of opinion that it would be absurd to resist the vote
for artillery, after the Chamber had granted a largo sum
for the works. M. BARROT took a different view, and
thought independent Members should vote against a
grant which was repudiated by the nation. The result
was, that each Member was left to vote according to his
opinion. At the sitting of the Chamber of Deputies on
Saturday, Admiral Maca:A u, in the absence of the Finance
Minister, who was away from indisposition, presented
a Bill fur authorising the Government to establish four
lines of packets across the Atlantic. It is proposed to
accomplish this by contract, either for steam-vessels or
sailing vessels, to communicate between France and
Rio Janeiro, Martinique, Guadaloupe, llavannah, and
New York, with branch rackets for La Plata, Guiana,
and the Gulf of Mexico. M. VIVIEN brought forward
a motion to repeal a law by which the Royal Courts have
the right of inserting their decisions and law advertise-
ments in only one paper, with a view to order the pub-
lication of such notices in journals which have the largest
circulation. The motion was opposed by the Govern-
ment, and rejected by a majority of 37.
The Fr( nch Funds were more firm on Sunday. At
TORTONI'S the Three per Cents. were quoted at 85f. 60c.,
and the Fives at 1181. sc. for the Account.

THIRD EDITION OF ~ THE SUN.'

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

34;n7"1;Totice to Correspondents," contained
in your impression of Saturday last, I am pleased to find
that the irregularity attendant upon the forwarding of
your Third, or Latest Edition, has at length excited the
attention of some of your numerous subscribers.
As regards myself; I am frequently disappointed, more
particularly on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the days on
which we expect to receive the Gazette and Market In-
telligence, to regulate our movemer.ts, a Second Edition
being not unfrequently substituted for a Third, thereby
depriving us of that information so valuable to coramer
cial men• generally. As a warm supporter of your paper,
as well as having been the means of introducing it to seve-
ral commercial inns, I am desirous that you should main-
tain the character of that publication, which, for early
intelligence, has hitherto ranked second to none.—l re-
main, Sir, your obedient servant,
AN OLD SUGAR TRAVELLER.
Whitchurch, &lop, March 31, 1845.

[We are irisch obliged to our worthy correspondent.
If other travellers will favour us by following his es•
ample, commercial inns and other public places will be
duly supplied with the Third Edition of The Sun, which
will give them a day's news in advance.—ED. Sun.],

THIS _DAY'S NEWS.

DREADFUL MURDER in GEORG.B.
STREET, ST. GILES'S.

Last night, about half-past 11 o'clock, the irthsbitants
of George-street, St. Giles's, were thrown, into the
utmost excitement by the discovery of a dre.a.aful murdFr
which had been perpetrated on the body rit a woman, 46

years of age, named Ann Tape, well kn'Jw n in the neigh-

bourhood for many years. It appears that th© unfor-

tunate woman, accompanied by a rrAali unknown, entered

a house of ill-facie in George-F,crect, St. Giles's, about
10 o'clock, and hired the ba,:it parlour, where the man

remained a short time, and 4.nen quitted the house. The
woman staying a considerable period afterwards without
being heard, a woman I,e,longing to the house entered the
room about half past eleven o'clock, and she was horror-
struck at finding o.le unfortunate creature lying on the
bed, surrounded by blood, issuing from no less than six
stabs in the meek and breast, a knife, with which the
wounds bad been inflicted, still sticking in her breast.
The woman immediately ran out of the room screaming
fur assistance, and Mr. Fitzgerald, a surgeon, residing in
High-street, was immediately sent for, and promptly
attended. On examining the body he pronounced life
to be extinct, and that it had been so some time. In-
kormation of the shocking occurrence was forthwith com-
municated to Superintendent Grimwood, of the E divi-
sion, who, with Inspectors Bell and Campbell, repaired
to the house to obtain a description of the man who had
perpetrated the murder ; but unfortunately little infor-
mation could be furnished, as the man was unknown to
any person in the house. On examining the body, it
appears that the murderer hadl stabbed the deceased in
the left side of the neck with such force, that the blade
had actually penetrated through the other side.
LATEST PARTICULARS—(THIS DAY.)
(FRoSt OUR OWN REPORTER.)
The house, No. 11, George-street, St. Giles's, where
the unfortunate woman Ann Tape was so inhumanly
murdered last night, and where the body still remains
under the care of the police, was this morning completely
surrounded by hundreds of persons anxion-z, at least, to
look upon the place where the murder was committed.
The deceased, one of that degraded class who earn a
living upon the streets, was well known in the neigh-
bourhood ; and the miscrea• t, who has escaped fur the
present, is also sufficiently known as, we believe, to make
his capture by the police not a matter of extraordinary
difficulty. The murderer was dressed in a velveteen
shooting coat or jacket, glazed cap, and knee-breeches.
It was currently reported .this morning at an early
hour, that an individual answering the description of
the person who committed the cold blooded and cowardly
assassination of the unfortunate woman, had been ap-
prehended by the police, but, on inquiry, it unfortu-
nately turns out that there is no foundation for such a
rumour.

The circumstance %, hich gave rise to this report origi.
nated in the fact that several persons, nearly resembling
the deseription of the murderer, had been brought to
the station-house by the police ; but these persons, hav-
ing sufficiently proved that they had no connexion wish
the circumstances of the murder, were at once dis-
charged.
inl.
exTtehnesivdeeltyailsciorcfutlhaeterbuymarnalitter, anthsraocitiigohn hthaevindgitrehreeennt
stations, the police were on the alert to trace every
detail connected with it, and they have succeeded in as-
certaining hen and where the weapon (a carving knife,
not a stiletto, as has been erroneously stated) was pur-
chased. The period when the purchase was made is
stated to have been about ten o'clock, only an hour be-
fore the murder, and Mr. Oldham, the cutler, of High-
street, St. Giles s, thinks he can identify the person who
bought it, and whose description answers in every re-
ipeet the description given of the supposed murderer.
We are enabled, from the courtesy of the persons
connected with the George•s'reet station-house, to say
that the constable Allen, 159 E, was called at a little
after a quarter to eleven o'clock yesterday evening, and
requested to go to No. 11, George -street (by the
way, one of the relics of London tradition, being once
tenanted by Oliver Cromwell, and the interior of the
house presenting at least one feature of interest to the
antiquary, namely, a magnificent oaken staircase, said to
be the work of Inigo Jones), where he found in a back
room the unfortunate deceased lying bleeding from a
number of wounds in the throat and breast, and
the knife remaining in the left side of the
neck to a depth of at least three inches. The
constable drew the knife out, and then, by direction
of his inspector, hastened for Mr. Fitzgerald, of High-
street, who at once attended; but though he reached the
place in five minutes after the police-constable had first
mbeteun ca,
redactheoe womanmpi was
ishedilisdead, so
purpose.effectuallyTlhad h
The burgeon
surgetone
stated that a more frightful mass of wounds he had
huiatveheaysear‘tveda
an et. la- et
arman r
lun termination.witnessed,
offii
c ands
answered,
ihr medical The constable
every
, erskills respect,
codateuslthat
to the de-
scription of the murderer, but as he was not, at the time,
aware of the circumstances that had taken 'free in that
neighbourhood, the person passed unnoticed by him.
Inspectors l's,
ay •nes '-;liaw, and Thornton, of the detet
•
2 1/4"
tive'police, who have already shown themselves so efficient
in similar ease
-
murdt mi. in thihsavite been specially
ordered
js tou e thootpreadc e t
thate
through their exertions the miscreant will soon be
brought to the bar of justice.

The Newcastle and Carlisle Railway
Company
have agreed to give fifty guineas towards the expenses of the
Rcyal English Agricultural Society, should their mettieg
for 1846 be held in thin tovu.-21'etvcast/e Journal.