Star.
London, England, 1830-12-07 00:00:00

NSW SOUTH WALES-SYDNEY.

The papers which have been received from the above colony contain
accounts of a most horrible murder that took place in February last,
and of the trial of those who were concerned in it. The wretches who
are sent out of this country for the commission even of ordinary crimes,
instead of endeavouring to retrieve in some measure their bad chase.
ten, plunge still deeper into crime, and, from committing depredations
upon honest men, fall to quarrelling amongst themselves, and to ex.
exercise their former Ingenuity in robbing sod even murdering their
associates in crime. It appears that, in the present case, a num.
her of convicts had been sent for offences committed In the colony to
a place called Moreton Bay, at some distance from Sydney, in
which barracks were erected for them to sleep in. One night, in
the middle of February, several of the convicts were awoke by a noise,
and, on getting up, they observed the arm of a man moving quickly
up and down, as if he were striking the man who slept with him. They
counted six or seven movements of the arm, and distinctly heard the
cracking or breaking of bones, occasioned by the violent blows of the
weapon, which afterwards proved to be an axe with a very short handle.
An alarm, on this, was made, and on the appearance of the overseer and
soldiers, who slept in an adjoining hut, with lights, it was ascertained
that a man named ?Stark King was wounded dreadfully upon the head
and breast, and in an exhausted and dying state. The convict who
slept along-side of him, was found to be Henry Muggleton, and
the man who had given the blows, his own appearance still fur.
thee confirming the proof, as his right hand was covered with
blood. The only circumstance that could In any way ac-
count for so diabaical an set, was that King slept with his
knees up, on which he had a boil, to prevent any one treading upon
him, and that this situation annoyed hluggleton, and prevented him
from stretching his limbs. Three other convicts were suspected to have''
been aecessaties to the murder; but the only evidence that was pro.'
duced against them was, that one had been heard to say `, Be quick !"
and a rustling of his irons, which were French, and produced an un.
usual gingling noise, had been heard at the time of the murder. near the
place. On the above circumstances being proved before Mr. Justice
Dowling. in the Supreme Court, at the beginning of June last. the
Jury returned a verdict of Guilty against hluggleton, and the others
Not Guilty. Muggleton, who acknowledged his guilt, and said that the
others were not concerned with him, was then sentenced to be hanged,
which was carried into effect on the Monday following.

POLICE RRPORTS.
DOW.STREIT.--Jobt Hdlloll WM charged with a street robbery.
Mr. Hodges, at two o'clock on Sunday morning, was on his route
home, when he was attacked by the prisoner in Little Turnstile, Hol-
born, and after a struggle both parties fell to the pavement, and, while
ptostrate and grappled in each other's arms, Mr. Hodges felt the pri.
goner's hand at the pocket of his waistcoat, where his watch was de-
posited. The cries which Mr. Hodges uttered of " Police, police !"
soon brought to the spot two constables, who secured the prisoner.
Complainant's trousers pocket had been torn, and from thence his purse,
containing four sovereigns and a half sovereign, which had been safe
a moment or two prior to the conflict, was gone. On the prisoner only
a few shillings and halfpence was found, and no trace of the purse could
be discoveretL

The prisoner was fully committed for trial.
Lestriztx-sussed.....Testerday, two sweeps, named DLIMA and
Ceilingwood, were charged with being guilty of most violent and Mime
,mmdnet, and one of them, Dixon, with breaking the leg of William
Cooke, a police-constable.
On Saturday evening, between seven and eight o'clock, a serious yet
and disturbance took place at the Compasses public-house, in Glass.
lease, Rosemary.lane, and Cooks and other constables were sent to
quell ft. They secured the prisoners, and, while taking them to the
eletion-house, the prisoner Dixon. in endeaysuring to make his escape,
Melted Cooke, who had him in custody, in so brutal a manner as to
beak his thigh.
Robert Christian, a sergeant belonging to H Division, stated that Is
ties found necessary at once to remove Cooke to the London Hes.
gi4where he still remained, but though his thigh was broken, the
1.
as ry was not considered so serious to endanger his life.
Magistrates then convicted them in M. each, or two months to
hard labour, remarking at the same time that, as no punishment which
they, the Magistrates could inflict, would be sufficient to satify theends
of justice in the ease of Cooke, for the prisoner Dixon's brutal assault
a him, they would not take cognisance of it for the present, but leave
Is optional with him when he recovered, either to indict him at the See.
skim, or adapt any other course he thought proper.
USIOX-ILlLL—Captain Fend, alias Clarke. alias Madders, wee
charged with obtaining money under false pretences.
Mr. Marter'• gentleman residing in Thomas-street, East, stated that
about a fortnight ago the 'prisoner called at his house, and introduced
himself as Capt. blond, of the 86th regiment, recently arrived from
Corfu. Witness having met with an officer of that tame on the Co..
tinent, said that he was acquainted with CAmt. Flood, of the 74th Nit.
and inquired of the prisoner whether he knew that gentleman. The
prisoner said "yes, I ought to know him, for he is an esteemed has.
the, of mine." After having recounted the various hardships he had
met with in defence of his King and country, the prisoner solicited Mr.
Marter to lend him some money until the Tuesday following. Mr. M.
gave him a sovereign, with which the prisoner departed.
Mr. Rennie stated that be had been_previously apprised of the visit
the prisoner had made at the house of Mr. Martel., soon after it had N.
caned. On Sunday the prisoner celled on witness, and having repro.
sented himself to be Captain Flood, of the 86th regiment, saki that be
bad only arrived two days before from Corfu, and then entered upon
• long statement of his services, concluding his account with the quer.
eel with the Major, and his subsequent resignation in the army, and his
present distressed condition. Mr. Rennie, convinced that be was the
swine person who had bamboozled Mr. Matter, kept him in converse-
den until he sent for the latter gentleman, who at once identified hint
as the person who ho, been with him a fortnight previously.
The Magistrate said that he should remand the prisoner until Thins.
y, on which day it wee probable many other persons whom he had
'on would attend. If in the interim it was found that the
was actually labouring under want, as he had represented.
Umber course would be adopted ; but if it was ascertained that be wale
an impostor, and went about to noblemen and others soliciting, then the
used-mill would be his portion for at hest three month..
On Sunday, a horrible attempt was made by a man named
John Clark, to destroy the eyesight of Air. Westbrook and his wife,
by throwing two cups of vitriol at them. It appears that for some time
past Clark had been paying his addresses to Mr. Westbmok's sister,
and it being discovered by her brother that Clark had imbibed similes
theological doctrines to those promulpted on certain nights at the Ito.
tends, Mr. Westbrook pre upon het to break ofthe aciamintasaa
Clark procured a quiudity of vitrio4 sod on Sunday be atatieeed MEW
outside the door of Dr. Collyer's brave!, at Peckham when the my&
sodso were corning out, and Mr. and Mrs. Westbrrt;ok being amongst
a,.., he permitted them to walk on a little distance, and having poured
est a cupful of vitriol from a bottle which he carried with hint, ha
on quietly in frost of Mr. and Mrs. Westbrook, and threw the=lig liquid at the face of the latter. Fortunately for Mrs. West.
brook, she tad time to throw up her arms and save her (tee, the liquid
falling on her dress and part of the front of her bonnet Some poetise
of the vitriol went into Mr. Westbrook's face, and white he was wiping
the liquid from his face, Clark filled another cupful; and dashed it at
Mr. Westbrook's head, and some portion went into one of his eyes, the
sight of which. It Is feared, be will lose; some also went into Clark's
Own face, and burnt him driadfelly. Clark was shover& taken to the
station-house, where he refused medical aid, and fa the course of the
sight be destroyed himself with poison. The circumstance has excited
a great sensation in the neighbourhood.