The Sun.
London, England, 1842-12-28 00:00:00

; persons present at this conversation between him and
the deceased?
The witness said that some of the policemen, arid
other persons also, he believed, were in the shop at
the time.
Mr. Heritage suggested that all such witnesses
should be ordered out of Court during the further
examination of this witness, who, however, being de-
sired to look around the Court could not recognise
any one; nor did it appear that any person present
had heard anything spoken by the deceased.
The Police Inspector, Jarvis, said, in answer to
the Magistrate, that if any of the police had heard
any such conversation, he believed it would have
been reported to him.
The witness said he thought they had entered the
shop at the time he spoke of.
Mr. BROUGHTON desired him to proceed with his
evidence, and state what the deceased had said.
The witness said the last words spoken were, k Oh,
Jack, you are the last person I shall speak to," for
while witness was reiterating his entreaties to know
who had done it the deceased closed his eyes, and wit-
ness then hurried off for Mr. Wright, the surgeon.
Mr. BROUGHTON, after some private communication
from the Police Inspector, asked the witness whether
he had not heard that Meagan was jealous of the de-
ceased, and had complained that the latter was too
familiar with his wife.
The witness said he had never heard anything of
the kind. When he went home at six o'clock on Sun-
day morning, all in the house were up, and had been
up all night, as he judged from their appearance. The
last time he saw the deceased alive was about half-
pa> t one on Sunday.
Mr. Frederick Wright, surgeon, said that about
half-past ten on Sunday night he was called to the
prisoner Meagan's house by a man who told him that
a man there had cut his throat. He accompanied the
messenger, and found the deceased lying behind the
counter, bleeding copiously from a wound betweem
the two upper ribs on the right side. He compressed
the lips of the wound, and strapped it, but it kept
bleeding, and in half an hour the deceased expired.
The wound was half an inch long, and three-quarters
in breadth, a stab, and must have been the result of a
very hard blow. He had not probed it, but was of
opinion that it had penetrated the lungs. The de-
ceased did not speak while he was present, and was in
a state of syncope during the whole of the time till
he died. The witness picked up a knife, now pro-
duced, which he found by the side of the body, and
he believed the wound had been inflicted by a hard
blow with that knife; it was a shoemaker's knife, with
square end and keen edge.
The witness Rice identified it as belonging to Mea-
gan, and kept in the shop for the purpose of cutting
th. leather.
Several of the police were then examined to thefol-

lowing effect :-134 G, who first went to the shop about
the time when the deceased expired, went in pursuit o
Meagan, on learning what had occurred, but did no
find him; and about half-past two yesterday morning
the prisoner Meagan went to the police station, and
gave himself up to sergeant Ellis, saying that he un-
derstood the police were after him, and that it was an
unfortunate business, but he knew nothing about it.
Ellen Regan, or Meagan, was found in the house by
Sergeant Beaumont ; and Charrington, 160 G-, said
that on the way to the station she exclaimed, " Oh
dear, if they split it will be a hanging job." The
prisoner Singleton lodged in Spitalfields, and 134 G
went there arid waited till six yesterday morning, but
she did not return home all night. In the course of
the morning, however, she called at the house of
Driscol, 24 11, and gave herself into custody, and said
to him that they began throwing shoes about in Mea-
gan's shop, but she could not tell how the man came
by his death,

- The male prisoner said in his defence, that he was
quite innocent of the charge. The deceased Leary,
he said, had begun quarrelling, and insisted upon
having money. The deceased, who was very drunk,
threatened to strike him unless he gave the money.
Prisoner then went out to take a glass of drink, and
when he returned he heard that his wife was in cus-
tody, and the occurrence in question had taken place
in his absence. He knew nothing about it.
llannah Cotter, the servant, was, after some in-
quiry, removed from the bar and placed in the wit-
ness box. She stated that there was a christening on
Sunday at Jerry Regan's, Mrs. Meagan's brother,
and the Meagans went to it. About nine at night
witness went to fetch Mrs. Meagan home, and she
went up stairs about that time to make the beds.
When she had done that and returned down stairs
she saw the deceased Leary stooping behind the
counter, and heard him exclaim, " Oh God ;" or " Oh
dear !" and immediately after he fell down behind
the counter. Witness then went out to get assist-
ance. There was nobody in the house but the de-
, ceased and herself when she went up to make the
beds, and she heard no noise or quarrelling while she
was up stairs, and there was no one there but the de-
ceased when she went down again.
Being further questioned, however, she said that as
she came down, she saw the prisoner Singleton run
out, and the shadow of some other person.
Mr. Bland being recalled, said that when the noise
drew his attention to the place, he saw Meagan and
the two females come out, and the gas was alight in
the shop when he went in.
The MAGISTRATE, after an examination which lasted
several hours, remanded the prisoners for a week.

CONSISTORY COURT, BRISTOL,

(From the Bristol Journal.)
The Worshipful Joseph Phillimore, D.C.L., Chan-
cellor of Bristol, this day (Dec. 21) presided for the
first time in his Court.

DEFAMATION.-PATNE V. ROWLEY.

This was an action in which the plaintiff prayed
for judgment upon the defendant for defamation. Mr.
Hartley appeared as proctor for the plaintiff, and
Mr. Bridges for the defendant.
Mr. HARTLEY stated that this was a suit brought
by Mrs. Prudence Payne, a lady who lived upon her
property, against Mrs. Mary Ann Rowley, the wife
of Mr. Thomas Rowley, straw-hat manufacturer, of
College-green, and he prayed the sentence of the
Court that Mrs. Rowley may be condemned in costs,
and to do penance, for having defamed the character
of his client. The facts were, that an acquaintance
had subsisted for some years between Mrs. Payne and
the family of Mr. Rowley; and in the year 1841
Mrs. Rowley had said in the presence of credible wit-
nesses that Mrs. Payne had been for two months co-
habiting with the defendant's husband. To this a
responsive or defensive allegation, as we understood,
had been put in, as he conceived irregularly, together
with exhibits thereto, being certain letters ; and the
allegation stated that Mrs. Rowley did not use the
word cohabit, but said an improper correspondence
had been going on, and that Mrs. Rowley spoke
under great excitement. The fact was, however, that
the uttering of the words had been clearly proved,
and he now prayed the sentence of the Court upon
Mrs. Rowley.
Mr. BRIDGES, for the defendant, stated that this was
an extremely hard case. His client, coming into pos-
session of certain letters which he would presently
read to the Court, felt that she was wounded in the
most cruel manner in which a wife could be injured,
and she felt also that she had daughters whose repu-
tation and fair prospects in life depended upon the
discontinuance of a correspondence which those letters
proved to exist between her husband and Mrs. Payne.
She did in this case what any respectable woman, a
mother, and a wife, would do; she evinced even more
than common self-sommand in this case, for she wen'
to Mr. Chidgey, who is an assistant-surgeon at Keyn-
sham, and the brother to Mrs. Payne, to induce that
gentleman to prevail upon his sister to discontinue the
correspondence. She requested for this purpose to
have a private interview with Mr. Chidgey, which
that gentleman refused ; and said that if she had any-
thing to say she should say it in the surgery, when
there were two gentlemen present. Excited, as may
be supposed, by the letters then in her hand—still
ate,up a
n an d
more excited at being thus treated when she came
he ainnidght the esamyosthtejumdeicstiouksi,ntdhetemtohset
that could be conceived, Mrs. Rowley certainly did
speak under the impulse of strong feelings, and said,
" If I must speak out, I say your sister has been holding
an improper correspondence with my husband ;" but
even if sbe used the words stated on the other side—
of which she was not aware—he conceived the Court
would consider that the provocation was such
as to remove the necessity of condemning her
in costs and enjoining penance. Whatever
the words were that she then used, Mr.
Chidgey was apparently not less excited, for he shook
his fist at her, and said, " By God, if you were a man
that said this, I would knock you down." The Learned
Proctor having detailed the facts to the effect above
stated, read the depositions of Mercy Ware, servant
to Mrs. Payne ; of Miss Amelia Rowley, and of Miss
Jeronomy Rowley, daughters of the defendant. The
evidence of Mercy Ware stated that a considerable
number out of fifteen or sixteen letters produced were
written by her mistress to Mr. Rowley; that her
mistress read over some of the letters to her (Mercy
Ware), and desired her to deliver them to Mr. Row-
ley, and to nobody else ; some of the letters were
signed " Constant,' some of them were addressed to
"Forget me Not." This witness had seen nothing
improper pass between her mistress and -Mr. Rowley,
except that he once gave her a kiss. If an improper
intimacy had taken place at Mrs. Payne's house, it
might be without her (witness's) knowledge of it.
The evidence of the Miss Rowleys, young ladies
grown up, proved the handwriting of Mrs. Payne on
some of the letters; that they had, with their mother's
consent, been on visiting terms with Mrs. Payne be-
fore these letters were known of ; that they had never
witnessed any impropriety of conduct between their
father and Mrs. Payne ; that their mother had pro-
hibited them visiting that lady, and that they. had not
since visited her. Some of the letters to their lather
were addressed to "Forget me Not," and a few to Mr.

"Tatton." The Learned Gentleman then read the
following extracts from the original letters :
"My dear Thomas—l this day promise you, while
I am on this earth, no man shall win my affections
from thee, not if he were rich, ranking amongst the
most high in this life, and if he would settle a dowry
on me, I would spurn it, and still fondly fix my hopes
on thee; that if God saw it not good for me to be thine
in this world I may be thine in glory; my witness to
this now is my Heavenly Father, and on his Sabbath
I have written it. Oh ! may he hear my prayer !
may Ibe thine. How I should adore and study to
make you happy. Adieu, believe me with fidelity,
ever and ever, yours, and only yours constant,
"PRUDENCE PAYNE."
"My dearest, dearest, very dear, my own Forget-
' me-Not--Every day you are more dear to my heart,
and when I leave you it is death, for I am sure the
separation of the soul from the body cannot be so
painful, especially to those who believe and die in the
hope of an immortal life ; such I trust will be our
case when «e depart this sinful world ; but you often
ask me do I pray to be your's ; yes, in sincerity I do
night and day, and had I worlds to give to obtain
you I would sacrifice them all for the possession of
one I love so dear. Will that day ever arrive ? I
hope, I pray it may, and sometimes I am sanguine
enough to believe it will. Then, oh, then, I shall,
we shall be more than happy, I fear too happy to last
long ; but again I trust the day will come, for if 1
have your arm to lay my head on in the hour of
death, painful as the separation may be, I should
resign my soul to my Maker, and my last
fond look, faithful.prayer, and dying words would be
yours, and, shouldl never have the bliss of possessing
you, if sensible in the hour of death, 1 shall send for
you, and I hope I shall at least be heard in this
prayer. I should wish you to be with me to receive
my last devoted kiss * * * and blessing.
"I am labouring to-day under a severe sick head-
ache and a bad cold, but I shall nurse myself today
and to-morrow and I make no doubt I shall be bet-.
ter. You, my dear, I hope are well. I long for your
note to-night, that will do me more good than medi-
cine. God bless, bless, bless, thee, my faithful dear.
I hope we shall meet again Wednesday evening.
Mind you write—don't disappoint. Let it be Tues-
day night if you can, as the post is so late in the
morning ; and if you think the Butts the best place,
I shall be waiting (or meet you) just as you turn to
the Sea Banks, where I waited before - there are so
many sailors, am afraid. I wish I could behold you
to-night, but I shall see some of the girls, and if I
do I shall kiss them for you (my only love). My
paper tells me I must bid adieu, but believe me I
could write to you for ever. Oh that I was with you
for ever. God bless you ; God keep you for me, and
may God love you as I do, fervently, fondly, and ever
I shall be your's in this life. Constant, * • * * *.
Burn this.;'
"My dearest, dearest Forget-me-Not—Your note
delighted me, but why did you not say where I was
to meet you this evening ? 1 hope you will, for I
want to see you. I can meet you by the George on
the Butts going to the Sea Banks any time you like
after the boys come home. My dear Tom, write by
James and let me know. They are going to take
your Henry to the Wells, and you can get it ready
by the time they return; don't be out (mind to be in
the way), for if I don't hear from you and know
where to meet you, I shall be most wretched, as I
can't tell but they may come from Bath to take the
boys away, I shall then have no chance to send to
you, or to know how to act. I must see you to-night.
Good bless you, dear, don't disappoint me. Ihave much
to say to you when I see you. I went to church last
night, hut did not sit in the same pew with Mr. Pike,
nor did I walk with him. No! I love you too well
to go with any one. I was but very little with them
all day, and was by myself in my bedroom waiting for
James with your loving.
"Bless you for it, and may God bless us both ; be
sure to write, if it is but two or three lines, stating
what time I am to meet you to-night. It is an age
since I saw you, my love; and now, good bye, in
the hopes of seeing you to-night, when I shall be
fully happy while, Tom, with you. Adieu, ever

yours, sincere and "'CONSTANT."
" My dearest love Forget me Not—Blessing on you
for your very kind letter; the assurances are and will
be cordial t) my heart; but it made me very low-
spirited, and I could not but fancy you had taken
your leave of me, as you never mentioned you should
see me Thursday. Pray ease my mind by writing
but three lines to-night, stating that you will, and
what time, not later I hope than a little after two
o'clock Thursday, for we shall manage so that no
person shall be there. I shall send Mercy to-night
at half-past seven to meet nu where she did last
night, for the note. Do, my dear, or I shall be truly
wretched. I want nothing more than that you will
come, as you promised yesterday, on '.Thursday;
don't disappoint me, nor keep Mercy waiting long;
she will be sure to be there at half-past
seven ; mind you go, and write—if it is
only (yes my dear), but I should like more.
The one you sent me last night I like better than any
you ever sent me. Bless you for it, again and
again. I saw the dear girls yesterday ; they do in-
deed love me, and I hope they will ; but they tried to
get out of me that you and I met, but they could
not; and many things they said I wish to tell you,
but I cannot commit it to paper. I want to put you
on your guard. I will tell you all when I see you.
I wish it was to-day. I hope I shall, as I pass (at
half -past four I shall go down Trinity-street)—could
you any way get out for ten minutes ? and meet me
(if you ean)—but I don't wish it without you could
do it safe—but meet Mercy, I charge you. I will, at all
events, walk by the church a quarter of an hour, and
if you don't come I shall go and send her as I have
said above, half-past seven to-night. My dear, you
will now accept my fervent and devoted love, and be-
lieve me wholly yours in this life, as I told you last
week ; and though we are divided now, I pray God
we shall some day be united, if not on earth, in
heaven. How was it you did not go to church last
night ? I was sadly vexed; but I guess and I know
why, and will tell you when I see you (never mind),
I can bear it. Once more, bless you ; good by; re-
member me, Forget me Tot.—Yours, truly,

"CONSTANT."

The letters were about twenty in number, and were
signed " Constant," and addressed to " i'orget me
Not." They were all in the same tone, occasionally
interspersed with drawings of flowers and hearts and
poetry ; as for instance,
"Forget me not, though we may part,
Perhaps, alas ; to meet no more,
Remember that there beats a heart
That loves you to its inmost core.
" CONSTANT."
In another part of the same letter the lady reminds
the gentleman that "her love is not to be trifled with."

In asubsequent epistle, the platonic widow, after ex-
horting Mr. Rowley to burn her notes, so that they
may be safe and out of danger, adds,—" I would die
to save you, for I do not blush to own I love you
truly, fervently, passionately, but not lustfully."
On the Ist of January, 1840, she sends him a
Keepsake, accompanied by a letter, in which she ad-
monishes him to "remember to follow the dictates of

religion, so that at the last you may meet me in
glory." In the same letter the amorous again gets the
better of the religious, and the widow thus breaks

forth :—" I have kissed it (a note from Rowley), not
twenty times, but twenty times twenty; how much
would I not rather have had them from the writer,
not the writing. I hope I shall soon."
The extracts having been read,
Mr. I3utDoEs addressed the Court, saying that the
facts formed, if not a justification, such a mitigation o
the words used as to exonerate his client from penance
and from costs.

Mr. HARTLEY, on the other side, pressed for sen-
tence against the defendant.
The Learned CHANCELLOR then proceeded to deli-
ver his judgment. The Learned Judge having gone
over the facts of the case as stated above, then said
that the words used were defamatory there was no
doubt ; but the question was, whether there was a
justification of them ? The Chancellor then read

some a the letters, commenting upon some of the
impassioned expressions in them, and said there were
in all fifteen or sixteen letters in the same fervid
strain ; and it was impossible that any wife could see
such letters addressed to her husband without being
irritated. Whether any criminal intercourse really
took place between the plaintiff and the defendant's
husband he did not know ; but, looking at the letters,
there was every excuse to the defendant for believing
that there had. Was this, then, a case in which a
Court, pro salute animce, could punish the defendant for
having uttered the words that she did utter under the
circumstances ? He certainly could not hold that it
was such a case. When he looked at all the facts be-
fore him, there appeared to him to be a justification of
the words used. He should, therefore, dismiss the
party from the suit and from all further consequences

EDUCATION OF A GERMAN LADY.—The education
of a German lady is, to us, a very singular one. It is
composed of the two extremes of household useful-
ness and social ornament. Accomplishments are
carefully taught. All that tends to give the ladies
eclat in the ball-room and in large companies, they
are more regularly drilled into even than ours. Music
and dancing are indispensable. The French lan-
guage has long been universal, and English is now
becoming so. Their greater intercourse with fo-
reigners keeps in use their French. Music is so much
a national enjoyment, that not only all young wo-
men, but almost all young men, play on the piano
and sing. This is not only a great relief to the mo-
notony of private life, and an elegant and refining
enjoyment for the evening circle—especially to weary
men, harassed or exhausted by the daily tug of their
affairs—but is conducive to the pleasure of those
agreeable little parties which abound so much among
the Germans : where singing, a dance, and simple
games pass away rapidly the bours.—HowitesGernzany.

CHARGE OF ASSAULT AGAINST
.A MAGISTRATE.
(From the BlaCkburn Standard.)
On Wednesday last, Mr. Robert Graham, appeared
at the Sessions' Room, in this town, to substantiate a
charge of assault which he had preferred against
William Henry Hornby, Esq., one of her Majesty's
Justices of the Peace. The case excited intense in-
terest, and the room was crowded to excess. Mr.
Graham conducted his own case, and Mr. Ening-
thorpe appeared for Mr. Hornby, who was absent
during the hearing.
Mr. Graham gave his evidence to the following
effect :—On the night of the 20th of October, I was
assisting in extinguishing the fire at Mr. Eccles's.
factory, in this town. I was in front of the building,
when Mr. Eccles gave orders to open the door. I
was standing on the causeway near the door,
when Mr. Hornby came up, and said, "What
business have you there ?" I replied, " Just the
same as you." He said, "If you do not go off these
premises I will give you in custody," and he then
took hold of my collar and shoved me off the landing.
I thought I would not quarrel with him, and walked
away. He next refused to let Mr. Ellwood go into
his own house, and then refused to let Coulthard, an
old servant in the employ of Mr. Eccles, come
forward. There was a . great outcry for trucks to
convey away the cotton from the burning premises,
and I went to my shop and fetched mine. On bring-
ing. it up I encountered Mr. Hornby, who stood in
the road. I said to him, "If peop:e who call them-
seiVes gentlerrien would act as gentlemen, everybody
Would
.be willing to assist." He said, "Do you mean
to' say lam no gentleman ?" I replied, " I said no-
thing about you being a, gentleman." Mr. Hornby
then said,'" Damn you, we will send all you Radical
devils to hell!" He then knocked me down. Mr.
Polding' sett.'' was present, and exclaimed, "Shame,
shame, Mr. 'Hornby," and then defendant walked
away. It Was a few minutes after twelve o'clock
when he knocked me down, and the place was no
thoroughfare, but my own yard.
Mr. Ellingthorpe—How does it happen, Sir,
64 you have not made this complaint before? This
fire occurred two months ago, and yet no steps have
been ialen by you up to the present time ?
Mr. Graham—No, I went to Preston to consult an
attorney, who wrote to Mr. Hornby on the subject,
and received a letter which-advised me to get an in-
dictment preferred against him, but this he said would
cost 601., and ihat is a very serious sum, or else to
bring an action.
Mr. Henry Pearson was the next witness—l was
present at the commencement of the difference. I
aas ordered to break the doors open by Mr. Eccles,
and Mr. Hornby would not allow them' to be broken
open,. and then Mr. Graham and he had'some words,
and Mr. • Hornby pushed him off the landing place,
and they went out together. They were not at high
words.
Mr. James Briggs said, I was present on the night
in question; and heard what took place between' Mr.
Graham and Mr. Hornby. I heard nothing improper
fall from .Mr. Graham. Mr. Hornby asked where
Mr. Eccles, was,: and Mr.' Graham replied that he was
somewhere there. Mr. Hornby then said, " I will
not have you here,"- and got hold of him by the
breast, and pushed him off. Mr. Hornby seemed
very fresh., ,
Mr. Lister—l considered it exceedingly reprehen-
sible in Mr. Hornby to push him off the steps, when
he came thereto render his assistance. Ido not see
what wrong..-Mr. Hornby could suppose that Mr.
Graham was doing,
Mr. Simpson—We understand that Mr. Hornby
had pushed him off the parapet before Mr. Graham
made use of the language..
Mr. Ellwood--Mr. Hornby was standing at our
yard end when I came down. I thought that our
house might be in danger from the fire, and I said , :
to Mr. Hornby I wane to come into my house, and
he said " You shall not." He took me by the col-
lar and knocked me into the street, and said, " I, as
a Magistrate, recommend that nobody shall come
here this night." He said, " You may go where you
like."

Simeon Coulthard—l am one of Mr. Eccles's men,
and was going from the fire with a bundle of papers
belonging to Mr. Eccles, when Mr. Hornby came up
and threatered to strike me.
Mr. J. Polding—l was coming down the yard be-
longing to Mr. Graham, and met Mr. Graham and
Mr. Hornby. Mr. Hornby struck at him several
times. I said it was a shame. Mr. Hornby said,
" Damn you, do you say I am no gentleman," and he
struck him on the outside of the premises, and when
he was going into his own yard.
James Ingram—l remember the night of the fire.
I was standing by the side of the stable door when
Mr. Hornby came up, and he struck at Mr. Graham
twice. He said, "Do you mean to say,l am no gen-
tleman ?" and then struck at him.
Mr. Ellingthorpe. then called the following wit-
nesses for the defence :
Mr. T. Myers said, of the night of :the fire I was
assisting in removing the goods. I never saw Mr.
Graham remove any goods out of the warehouse.
Mr. Hornby and he were together. They seemed
a little bit confused together, and I saw Mr. Graham's
foot slip and he fell down. He insisted on having
the warehouse opened. He called Mr.. Hornby
fool, and a puppy, and no gentleman. Mr. Hornby
said " the door shall not be burst open."' I said there
was no danger.
Mr. Graham—Did you see Mr. Hornby collar me ?
—I saw him put his hand to your breast, and heard
him tell you to go where work was required ; you was
not wanted there.
Mr. Ibbotson—l was present on the night of the
fire. I saw some persons attempting to break open
the cotton warehouse, and Mr. Hornby came up at
the time, and requested them not to do so. Mr.
Graham said it was necessary the place should be
broken open, and the cotton removed. Mr. Hornby
said that Mr. Graham had nothing to do with it. Mr.
Hornby inquired for Mr. Eccles, but previous to his
coming Mr. Hornby and Mr. Graham continued to
exchange words, and at last Mr. Hornby told him to
go about his business. Immediately afterwards I
heard Mr. Graham call him no gentleman. There
was not the slightest degree of violence used. I can-
not tell exactly the precise words used, but remember
the words fool and puppy. When he was on the
parapet he told Mr. Hornby that he had as much
right there as him. The parapet is about eighteen
inches high, and I will swear that it was not two feet.
I do a considerable deal of business for Mr. Hornby.
Mr. Hartley—l saw the scuffle between Mr. Gra-
ham and Mr. Hornby, and I saw Mr. Graham going
up towards the warehouse, as I suppose, for the pur-
pose of opening the door, but Mr. Hornby said he
thought there was danger in opening the door, and he
pushed him off the parapet. Mr. Graham used some
kind of language, and came up again. The language
was very insulting, and I said to another person that
I would not take such language. I did not hear Mr.
Graham complain that he was hurt.
The case being then gone through, Mr. LISTER, the
Magistrate on the bench, said he should put off the
decision for a fortnight, remarking that there was a
great deal of excitement at the time of the fire, and
that above all things, on those occasions, a Magistrate
ought to be attended to.
Mr. Hornby is brother to one of the Members for
Blackburn, and is one of the recent Tory appoint •
ments.

DEATH FROM OVER EATING AT A CHRISTMAS
FEAST.—On Monday Mr. Payne held an inquest in
the vestry-room of the church of St. Mary Somerset,
Upper Thames-street, on the body of Thomas Rod-
gers, aged 55. It appeared in evidence that the de-
ceased was a workman, in the employ of Mr. Rath
bone, of Trigg's Wharf, Thames-street. On Christ-
mas-eve all the men on the premises were, according
to usual custom, regaled with a supper, and at eight
o'clock sat down to the table. The deceased ate very
heartily, and upon the removal of the cloth, drank
freely from the bottles of whisky with which his
master had provided them ; they were allowed to take
as much as they could drink. After eleven o'clock at
night he could not hold his head up, and as he leaned
forwards on the table, his companions, thinking he
would be safer if placed by himself, conveyed him into
the counting-house, where they laid him on the floor,
and put a great coat under his head. At one o'clock
all the other men, with the exception of George Stagg,
left the premises, and he being so far intoxicated as
not to be able to get home, laid down by the side of de-
ceased. At seven o'clock deceased was found dead.
Mr. Pullen, surgeon, said that death was caused by
congestion of the brain, the result of eating and drink-
ing immoderately. He was predisposed to that affec-
tion and had before suffered from fits of epilepsy.
Verdict, " Natural death."
THE APPROACHING LONDON SEASON—HER MAT
JESTY'S DRAWING Rooms.—A morning paper, a few
days since, alluding to the probability of her Majesty's
accouchernent, taking place about the month of May
next, observed, that until that period, " and for at
least a month afterwards, her Majesty will be obliged
to restrict the circle of Royal hospitality, and society
will be deprived of that impulse which our Sovereign
has habitually given to pleasure, no less with a view
to the solid benefit of the industrious classes than to
the more ephemeral recreation of their superiors."
The paragraph then proceeds tc state that there is a
" rumour prevailing in the highest regions of society,
that an illustrious lady will be deputed to hold the
drawing-rooms during the season," the " illustrious
lady" alluded to being evidently her Royal Highness
the Duchess of Tient. We have authority for stating
that no such arrangement as that referred to by ow
Contemporary has ever been in contemplation.—Times.
A schism, says a letter from the canton of the
Valais, in Switzerland, has taken place between the
two first powers of the State. The Council of State
has just protested against the decision of the Great
Council, which ()cullers upon the eldrgy of the -Upper
Valais the right of appointing a representative to-that
body, in place of the Bishop of Sion,